Retrospective
by Ct2191
Summary: My first story. When a sergeant is attacked the team are put on red alert. As her past is unearthed before everyone's eyes, the truth is uncovered about why she is so closed off from the world. Can they convince her to change? Eventual Millie/Rachel.
1. Chapter 1

As an officer of the law, you are used to having power over the public. But it's a whole lot different once you take off that hat for the day, place your vest in your locker and walk out of those doors. Then you're just like any other civilian. Unless someone you arrested three years ago remembers you, and decides that you are going to pay for making him do time. Then you're screwed.

She didn't see him coming; she wasn't expecting someone to go at her off duty. She had been enjoying herself with the relief in the pub. She had laughed her head off at Smithy's bad impressions, and had enjoyed a "Serious" conversation with slightly drunk Gina, but she had not noticed the man who had been constantly staring at her from across the room, maybe she would have if she hasn't let her guard down for once.

She was well known for being sharp, focussed and keen. Not drunk, ditzy and intoxicated by the alcohol in her system. She had decided for once in her life that she would not be the uptight sergeant and just enjoy herself everyone like else does after a particularly hard day at work. But that one day had to be the same day that _he_ had returned.

He had been looking for her for months, searching out borough after borough until he had found her in Sun Hill, a sergeant no less. He almost laughed when his contact had told him. She was a pathetic excuse for a police officer, but apparently she had changed, had even grown a spine. She was so scared when he had pointed that gun at her the last time; he was surprised she'd even had the backbone not to drop her job there and then.

He watched as she left the pub, slightly dizzy from the shots she had just downed, and walk towards her car. He snorted when he saw it from the pub doorway. Same one. He walked up to her quickly, hiding in an alleyway when she looked around, frowning. When she had turned away again, opening the door to her car, he had snuck up beside her, and pressed the knife to her throat.

She wasn't expecting this, clearly. She let out a tiny whimpering sound when he spoke, immediately recognising his voice. He moved his hand up to her back and pushed her towards the alleyway, leaving her car door open there as his getaway vehicle. Once they were a reasonable distance up the alleyway he threw her onto the ground, she was coughing quite loudly, he growled when he looked down at his knife and saw a small amount of blood. He had pressed too hard.

When she was finished coughing she put a single shaking hand on her throat and whimpered when she felt the stickiness of the blood dripping from her throat. He grinned when she shot him a look of pure terror. He grabbed her by the elbow and pulled her to her feet, only to punch her in her stomach, sending her squealing to the ground again. He then kicked and punched any part of her that he could see that he hadn't already, before finishing by slashing her stomach several times with the knife, ripping her clothes and piercing her skin.

When the onslaught had finished she curled up in a ball, whimpering. He grinned at this and walked away slowly, so as not to attract attention. He plucked her keys off of the floor and sat in her car, noting the fact that her bag was in the seat beside him. As he positioned himself in the car, he chanced one final look back into the alleyway. She was still on the floor but was pulling herself behind a bin, hiding herself from view. After grinning at the damage he had caused he drove off, leaving her to suffer.

PC Millie Brown was sitting in a particularly long debrief from Inspector Gold. Smithy was standing beside her clearly trying to resist the urge to yawn, making Tony and Sally snigger. Millie sighed. These debriefs were getting longer and longer, and more boring each time.

This job was usually fairly interesting; with numerous robberies and mysterious deaths to investigate but recently the excitement appeared to be on hiatus. So far all this week had bought was her evicting drunks from bars and clearing several gangs of youths away from street corners. Her current partner, PC Sally Armstrong, was finding it amusing however. She spent most of the day yelling at drunks or chasing kids like Millie but she, unlike Millie, had found a way to deal with it. She went to work each day dreaming about the fun that was to unfold in the pub later on. Millie had frowned at this but still, she understood. The routine of paperwork, arrest, then more paperwork was getting to her. There was nothing interesting ever going on.

"…I am going to be at the station today, attempting to resist the urge of clobbering you all around the head. For turning up to work half cut." Finished Gina, "Anything to add, Smithy?"

"I am going to be accompanying PCs Brown and Armstrong." He said, "Keeping an eye on our vigilante here."

He shot a meaningful stare at Sally who snorted.

"I thought that was Millie's job Sarge..." she said, winking at Millie.

"Something tells me that Millie isn't going to be able to stop hurricane Sally." Replied Smithy moodily.

"Oh ha ha" Muttered Sally under her breath.

"Ok, let's move it!" shouted Gina, trying to spark some life into the team.

She failed miserably.

As they all trudged out Millie turned to Sally. "Have you seen Sergeant Weston?"

"It's her day off, remember?" she replied blearily, wrapping her knuckles on Millie's forehead. "I got drunk last night, what's your excuse?"

Millie glared at her reproachfully for a second then stopped as she and Sally were carted into a car by Smithy, shouting something about having a shout at a local museum.

When they pulled up outside, there was a commotion. Several protestors were standing outside, holding various signs. Sally and Smithy ran over to clear them, but even their shouts combined couldn't be heard over the ruckus the crowd were making. Millie took another approach. She climbed into the driver's seat of the vehicle and blasted the sirens, turning them on and off in succession them beeping the horn a few times. This bought silence.

"Right!" shouted Smithy, nodding thanks to Millie, "someone better tell me what the heck is goin' on here!"

One of the protestors spoke up. "The exhibit here is disgusting and goes against our religion! You may call it modern, we call it an atrocity!"

Several of the protestors vocalized their support.

"Be that as it may you are not permitted to be here and if you don't move we are going to have to arrest the lot of you for causing a public disturbance." Sally said in response to the cheers the speaker had received.

Several disgruntled murmurs ran through the crowds as they slowly dispersed. However one was refusing to leave. He rounded on Smithy.

"You! You, idiot!" He yelled, spitting into Smithy's face, "They were good people! How dare you!"

He tried to hit smithy who dodged the badly aimed punch and handcuffed him in an instant. He then carted him into the car, just as they received another shout.

"Sierra Oscar One receiving, go ahead." Replied Smithy.

"Assault at the fox and squirrel, details not known" replied the Officer.

"Sierra Oscar one dealing." Replied Smithy, "You two, go there its only a couple of streets away. Radio me in the details once you're there."

Millie and Sally nodded simultaneously, and ran towards their destination. When they reached it they were greeted by the bar man who was backing out from the alleyway, holding his hands out in front of this, as though shielding invisible blows. They could hear screaming from the alleyway.

"Hey, Dave what's going on here?" asked Sally, rushing up to him.

"Not sure, just found her like that. " He grunted, "Apparently she's one of your lot."

"Ok, thanks." Replied Millie, "Have you called an ambulance?"

"Yeah. It'll be here in about 10" he said, shifting his gaze to her.

Millie walked slowly up to the cowering figure, closely followed by Sally. She was curled up into a ball, her hands covering her face, blonde hair covering her hands. Millie motioned Sally to stay back, and crouched so she was level with the woman.

"Hello I'm PC Millie Brown can you tell me-" her revised speech died in her throat, "Oh my god!"

The women had lifted her head and was staring at her through two black eyes.

"Rachel!" Millie almost shouted.


	2. Chapter 2

Rachel had flinched slightly at the sound of her name but remained otherwise motionless, taking in the gravity of the pain she felt. She knew that it was Millie, and she knew that she should let her help, but she found herself wary of everyone. She could see Sally some distance off, staring wide eyed at the sight before her.

"Hang in there, Sarge, the ambulance will be here soon." Said Millie, attempting to reassure her.

Rachel simply rested her head in her hands in response, a position that seemed to calm her.

Millie cautiously reached forward and touched her superiors shoulder, not quite knowing how to comfort her. Rachel shook slightly at her touch, but made no attempt to shrug her off, so Millie took that as a good sign. Sally came and crouched down beside them, staring in shock at the blood all over her superior.

"Sarge... What happened?" gasped Sally.

Rachel shook her head, unwilling to divulge.

Millie looked at the torn clothes and glanced at Sally, who caught her drift.

"Sarge, were you..?" began Millie, not wanting to finish the sentence.

"No." croaked Rachel, jerking her head up and staring at the constable.

"Ok, ok relax the ambulance will be here soon." Reassured Sally quietly.

Rachel rested her head back on her hands as a flashback took hold of her mind. Him standing over her, laughing at her crumpled form, then turning her over and slashing the knife… Then he was gone, walking out of the alleyway as if nothing had happened, leaving her there to stare at his retreating form as waves of pain took hold of her…

She wanted to yell out, to scream but found she could do neither, her body was becoming strangely numb, and there were black spots in her eyes.

"Sarge!" Yelled Millie as she lost consciousness, eyes rolling back up into her head.

The ambulance crew arrived a moment later, and laid her flat on the ground, keeping her neck as still as they could. Millie and Sally gasped as they moved her from her couched position, seeing for the first time the slashes on her stomach. The paramedics quickly staunched the large beads of blood with pads before injecting something into her arm. They then quickly moved her onto a stretcher, and ran towards the awaiting ambulance, Sally and Millie following close behind.

Rachel awoke again just as she was placed in the ambulance. She let out a startled cry at the people surrounding her, and struggled against the neck brace she was wearing.

"Get me out of here!" she screamed at Sally and Millie, who had just climbed in behind the paramedics.

"Sarge no one is going to hurt you, I promise. The paramedics are just here to get you to hospital and-" began a startled Millie.

"No! No hospitals! Please no hospitals!" She screamed, making passers by stare into the ambulance.

Millie shut the doors as Sally got out to disperse them and talk to CID, who had just arrived on the scene. She nodded at the driver to go, and as he pulled away Rachel reached out to Millie, who gripped her hand and murmured words of comfort and support.


	3. Chapter 3

Sally was standing at the scene, surrounded by a gaggle of passers by and the press who were staring down the alleyway trying to get a look at the carpet of blood on the ground. She was using her arms as a barricade, holding them out wide in an attempt to hold back the onslaught.

"If all of you can please back away, this area is a crime scene!" she yelled at the stop of her voice.

"What happened to that woman? I'm hearing rumours she's a cop?" asked one of the press officials, pointing a Dictaphone at her mouth.

"I'm sorry, I can't tell you anything until I have all the facts." She replied, the easiest way to reflect questions from the press.

"But its clear that someone was stabbed, why don't you just fill us in, give us the rest otherwise we will have to assume." Replied the press official, smirking,

Sally was about to reply when a black car pulled up behind crowds, and out stepped three members of CID: Neil Manson, Grace Dasari and Max Carter. Manson cleared his throat and spoke through a loudspeaker.

"If you lot don't move now you will all be arrested and charged with obstruction of justice! This is a Police matter _move along!_" He shouted.

It took all of thirty seconds for the crowds to be ushered away from the threatening presence by the car. All three of them hurried over to Sally.

"Sally, I heard it was Rachel who was attacked, is that true?" Asked Grace, concern etched onto her face.

"Yes. Millie is with her in the ambulance. She was beaten and the asshole slashed her stomach with a knife." Replied sally, brow furrowed.

"Where was she when you found her?" Asked Max, surveying the scene with a grim look on his face.

"Behind that bin. She was curled up into a ball there when we found her." Sally said, gesturing towards a bin with a bloody handprint on it.

Max walked over and knelt down, staring at the handprint that the sergeant had left.

"When do we reckon this happened?" Asked Neil, looking at the CCTV cameras on several lampposts nearby.

"Well she was freezing to the touch and was wearing the same clothes as last night." Replied Sally, "I think she's been there all night."

"Last night?" queried the detective inspector.

"Yeah, we were all in there" Replied Sally heavily, pointing at the pub, "we had a tough day, and I invited Rachel to join us, she accepted."

Sally looked down as she said this; Max had walked back over and caught her expression.

"Hey, Sally, this is not your fault, you didn't tell some nut job to attack one of our sergeants." Max quipped, "Now can you go and talk to the owner, we will need to CCTV and a statement."

Sally nodded and ran into the bar. Max turned to Neil.

"So, what do you reckon?" He asked quietly as Grace surveyed the scene.

"I honestly have no idea, but I don't think this was a random attack. I think this person wanted to hurt Rachel." He replied, looking solemn.

"What makes you say that?"

"Nothing, call it a copper's instinct. I've been doing this job too long." He said wearily, rubbing his forehead with one hand.

"Grace? You got something?" Asked Max, catching her eye.

"Yeah, looks like a scrap of someone's coat." She replied, holding it in a gloved hand "Is someone going to interview Rachel?"

"We've got Jo on that." Replied Max.


	4. Chapter 4

Millie was standing guard over the private room her superior had been transferred to. She was trying to resist the overwhelming urge to collapse onto the floor and cry herself to sleep. She only resisted because she wanted to see this through, she wanted to make sure Rachel was ok.

She had been watching them work on her for the last two and a half hours, injecting things into her, wrapping her in bandages, and carrying portable X-rays into the room. She had been allowed in twice when Rachel had awoken and held her hand while they sorted the cuts on her stomach and again when they had sedated her, she was struggling so much that they had to, Millie did her best to calm her beforehand but to no avail.

She was watching them so intently that she didn't notice Jo come up behind her. She gently placed a hand on her shoulder, making her jump.

"Oh sorry!"

"Its fine..." murmured Millie.

"How is she?" Jo asked, joining her at the window.

"A couple of broken ribs, broken wrist and about six deep cuts on her stomach made by a knife." Replied Millie tonelessly, not bothering to mention the bruises and small cuts that covered her.

"Has she been unconscious since they bought her in?" asked Jo, staring at the bags under eyes.

"No. Once they checked her head for any damage they sedated her. They couldn't treat her because she kept leashing out." Millie croaked.

"Have they said when she'll wake up?" quizzed Jo.

"I don't know. Why don't you ask them instead of me?" snapped Millie.

"Ok, I think you need to sit down." Said Jo, ignoring her protests and frogmarching her to a chair.

"I'm sorry…" Muttered Millie, head in her hands.

"Its fine you're stressed, I understand." Replied Jo, putting a hand on her shoulder.

Millie nodded, rubbing her forehead.

"Have you got any idea about what happened to her?" Jo asked as she rubbed her back.

"All I can guess is that she was beaten while some of the relief were in the pub last night... but that's all I know." Replied Millie.

They sat there in silence for a moment contemplating the fact that while most of the relief were in the pub enjoying beers one of their own was outside in the cold, getting beaten senseless.

Jo shuddered. She was used to dealing with assault victims, but not ones she knew.

They sat there in silence for several minutes, contemplating the day's events, Millie occasionally sniffing. After a while a nurse walked over to them.

"She's awake and had been asking for you, PC Brown." She said sharply at Millie, who looked up instantly.

"Millie, can you take her statement and give it to me?" asked Jo as she stood up.

"Why don't you come-"

"No. I think it would be best if someone she knows better done it, she may be more talkative."

"Ok." Said Millie, flashing her a look of concern as she left.


	5. Chapter 5

Millie walked quickly over to the room they were keeping her sergeant in and halted by the door. She looked so pale. Millie was shaken by her appearance more than she thought she was going to be. The bruises were extensive, pretty much covering her entire face and both her arms. She had two black eyes and her wrist was strung up in a cast. Despite all this however, she almost smiled when she saw Millie at the door, and motioned her to enter.

Millie entered with her head bowed low, not sure where to look. Rachel sat up when she entered, and motioned her to sit down at the chair beside her. Millie did as she was told, still looking at the floor.

"H-How are you feeling?" Muttered Millie.

"Better." Said Rachel, sounding as sharp as ever, but Millie could still see hear the pain.

"Jo asked me to interview you." She murmured after several seconds of silence.

"Millie, are you ok?" asked Rachel, concern showing on her bruised features.

"Better than you." She muttered, then she realised what she had said, "Oh sorry!"

"It's fine. It was kind of funny in a twisted sort of a way." Replied Rachel, trying to smile but immediately regretting it, wincing at the pain it caused her.

"Can you tell me what happened?" Asked Millie, looking at her face for the first time.

"I can do better than that. I can tell you the name of the man who attacked me." She said with fierce determination in her eyes, which scared Millie slightly.

"You know him?" Millie asked, shocked.

"Jim Davis. I got him sent down for fraud a few years ago." She replied, anger levels clearly rising.

"Is there any reason he would-" Began Millie.

"He held me hostage for three days, he was about to shoot me when I turned the gun around and he shot himself." Rachel said darkly.

"Ok. Can you tell me what happened in the alleyway?" Asked Millie, voice starting to shake.

"I left the pub a little earlier than everyone else, I was tired, It was about eleven I guess. I went over to my car and he pressed a knife to my throat." Rachel stopped, staring at Millie, who was scribbling on a notepad. When she was finished she looked up from her notepad, trying to figure out why she was so calm.

"Ok, I got it. What happened after that?"

"He shoved me into the alleyway, then he did this, then he ran away." Replied Rachel, furrowing her brow.

Millie rested a hand on her good shoulder. "Can you tell me approximately what time it was when he left you?"

"About quarter past. But I can't be sure." She replied.

Suddenly another flashback took hold of Rachel: walking to her car, feeling the knife pressed against her throat, having the hell beaten out of her, hearing him walk away as if nothing had happened… Then in the bar: a man staring at her from across the tables. She had thought he was just some creep; he had a hood on at that point so she couldn't see his face…

"Sarge! Can you hear me?" Shouted Millie into her face.

"He was in the pub... He was watching me." She whispered.

"What?" Asked Millie, confused.

"Jim Davis!" snapped Rachel, turning to face her, "He was in the damn pub watching me half the night!"


	6. Chapter 6

DI mansion was staring around the scene before him, hardly believing that the victim was another officer. He was used to having to deal with bereaved families and blood spattered walls with handprints showing the victim's last movements but this… He saw Rachel Weston almost every day, walking the corridors of the police station. Now she was lying in the hospital bed because some thug had decided to make her his next victim.

He watched as Eddie examined the crime scene, moving cotton buds over areas and instructing others to snap photos of every footprint and handprint he saw. Grace was talking to the barman, after Sally had told them that she thought he was keeping something back. Max was back at the station, trying to make sense of CCTV footage from the bar and from the roads nearby. He had phoned a while ago saying he didn't have a clear enough photo for facial recognition.

"I think I got something…" Called Eddie, causing Neil to come running.

"What?" he asked as he ducked under the crime scene tape.

"A perfect finger print at last." He replied, "Took me a while to find one that wasn't the tip of a finger."

"How can we be sure that it's not Sergeant Weston's?" Demanded Neil, dissatisfied at having to run over just for something that may be insignificant.

"We can't, but apart from her bloody handprints that's all I can get from this scene." Replied Eddie, looking stricken.

"Ok thanks Eddie." Said Neil, walking away and leaving him to search every inch for more clues.

Just as he started walking towards his car grace walked up behind him, calling his name as she went.

"Neil! I think I have something!" She shouted as she neared him.

"Ok good what?" he called back, turning to face her.

"The Bar man, Dave, he says he saw a guy in here last night, sitting on a table on his own, he seemed to be watching Sergeant Weston." She replied, slightly out of breath.

"Ok great, anything else?"

"Yeah. He left just after Sergeant Weston did."

"Get in; we need to go talk to Jack about this." He said as he opened the door to his car and let her get in first.

They drove back quickly, noticing the car in front of them as they neared the station as Jo's. When the parked Jo got out first and walked over, waiting for them both to step out.

"What is it?" asked Neil.

"We have a name: Jim Davis. Turns out he was Rachel's first case after she finished her probationary period. She got him sent down for fraud and jailed for two years." Replied Jo matter-of-factly.

"Great." Said Neil, "Come with me to the Gov's office."

As they walked Grace broke away from them, detouring to CID so she could update Max. Jo briefly knocked on the door to Jacks office and entered along with Neil.

"Gov. We know who attacked Sergeant Weston and we have sufficient proof to tie him there." Neil said, sounding confident.

"Ok, who?" replied Jack, eyes narrowing.

"Jim Davis. Sergeant Weston recognised him. She put him away for fraud three years ago." Jo replied.

"Ok that takes care of name and motive, but what is there tying him to the scene?"

"He was sitting in the bar while the relief was there and left less than a minute after Sergeant Weston." She replied.

"Has facial recognition confirmed it?" Demanded jack.

"Not yet, we're waiting on max to get a decent shot from CCTV." Replied Neil.

"Ok update me when you have got the result, for now get some uniform around the town, go door to door nearby asking if anyone saw the car early hours of the morning." Said Jack, turning away from them.

"Gov." said Neil and Jo together.

"Do you want sergeant smith leading?" Asked Neil a moment later

"No. He's gone to see Sergeant Weston." Replied Jack.


	7. Chapter 7

Smithy was walking brusquely through the grounds of the hospital, straight into the A&E department. He strode up to the reception desk and waited for her notice him.

"…So yeah then he said that she said it but she said that her brother said that her sister said so he went to the sister but she told him that Anne-Marie had something to do with it…"

"Excuse me." Called smithy politely.

"Yeah, in a minute, hun." Replied the receptionist without looking up. "So anyway, when he found Anne-Marie's phone number there was no reply so he flew to France and that's where the trouble began when she found out because then she wanted to know why he'd flown to France and he couldn't exactly say because of Anne-Marie because you know how much she hates her…"

"Hello?" Smithy called irritably, "I am looking for-"

"Wait your turn." She grumbled at him, still not looking up. "So he then he said-"

"Sergeant Smith, Sun Hill police station." Shouted Smithy.

_Finally _she looked up.

"Oh right sorry mate, what can I do for ya?" she replied, going slightly red.

"What cubicle can I find Sergeant Rachel Weston in?" He replied, frowning at her.

"Oh Ummm… let me see here…" She said, turning around to face her computer and tapping on the keyboard furiously. "Cubicle 4."

"Thank you." Grumbled Smithy.

With that he left her at the desk to continue her ludicrous conversation and strode across the ward, searching out cubicle four. As he neared it his heart sank. He could hear the sounds of sniffling behind the curtain and Millie's hushed voice attempting to comfort someone.

"It's ok, we'll get him." Said Millie reassuringly, rubbing her back.

Smithy cleared his throat and pulled back the curtain slightly, and both of them looked up. He almost cried out when he saw her face or the swollen remains of it anyway. She had one wrist on her lap in a cast, and numerous tubes connected to a drip on her left hand. Her expression was empty, as if everything she was feeling wasn't really happening.

"Sarge!" Millie almost shouted.

"PC Brown." Acknowledged Smithy. "How are you, Rachel?"

Rachel looked up at him with a curios expression on her face, as if she was trying to say "_How do you think?" _ But this was soon lost, and replaced with the same expression he had walked in on, empty.

"Fine, Sarge" she murmured after several seconds.

"They told me that you knew your attacker from a previous posting?" quizzed Smithy.

"Jim Davis. Held me hostage." She croaked after several seconds.

"Yeah I read the case notes." Replied Smithy, moving so he was standing in front of them.

"So why ask?" Demanded Rachel, glaring at him with puffy eyes.

Smithy shrugged. "No idea, I guess I wanted to see how alert you are."

Rachel stared at him for several seconds, then returned her gaze to the floor when Millie continued to rub her back.

"So." Muttered Rachel. "Is this an official visit?"

"Yes and no." replied the sergeant. "I wanted to see you and Jack phoned me to ask me to see if you remember anything else about last night."

"Well I don't. I've told Millie everything I know." Replied Rachel haughtily.

"Alright. Can I get you anything?" Smithy asked, watching as Millie caressed her back in a vain attempt to calm her.

"No." Rachel replied tonelessly. "Wait a second.."

Rachel sat bolt upright all of a sudden, causing both Millie and Smithy to jump.

"What is it?" asked Millie in a hushed tone.

"You know everything about the case, everything?" she said, eyes suddenly full of fear again.

"Yes. Rachel, I'm sorr-" Began Smithy.

"Save it." She snapped, "You better not mention this to any of the uniform."

"I won't. I promise. " Replied the sergeant.

"Good." Muttered Rachel.

"Ok. Would you rather I left?" asked Smithy, already knowing the answer.

"Can you please tell everyone down at the nick that I'm fine and I don't need everyone fussing?" asked Rachel, looking up at him once more.

"Sure." Smithy replied, "And Rachel?"

"Yes?" she muttered, head facing the ground again.

"I hope you feel better soon."

Rachel was about to reply but he had already left, striding down the hallway as quickly as he could.


	8. Chapter 8

Grace was sitting in CID, staring at the case notes in front of her. She could hardly believe what she was reading, and she found it impossible to believe that this was Rachel Weston. The entire file read like a horror movie. Grace sighed and put the file down on her desk and tuned to Max who had been watching her read it.

"Interesting read?" He said as he caught her shocked expression.

"That can't be the same person!" she declared, pointing at the file.

"I know. Hard to believe she was so…" Max trailed away, at a loss to explain.

"Why did he only get two years? He should have gotten twenty!" Shouted grace.

"Insufficient evidence. They only had Rachel's word on what had happened. Since she was the only one who had survived and because she had washed away all the evidence" Replied Max darkly.

"It certainly explains why she detaches so well." Grace muttered, looking at the timeline on the board.

"I know. It's hard to believe that she's still sane." Replied max, staring at the CCTV footage.

"Hm." Muttered grace, "Do we know what time the assault took place?"

"Somewhere around midnight." Replied Max, looking up at her, "Grace look at this!"

Max was jabbing a finger at the computer screen. Grace walked over to his desk and stared, open mouthed at it for several seconds. Rachel's car had pulled up at a house not two blocks away, where Jim Davis had stepped out and rang a doorbell. They next saw three more men step out, along with a sack. At first they thought that the sack had something like counterfeit goods in it but as they watched, it seemed to be moving.

One of the men walked over to the sack after the other had dragged it out of the house, and undone the top. There was a women inside the sack, her hands were tired together and she was gagged. Another man walked over and the grabbed her and pulled her out of the sack, and she tried to kick with her tied up feet but one of the men injected something into her neck and she grew still. They then bundled her into the boot of the car and drove off quickly.

Max and Grace just sat there, mouths open as they rewound the tape and watched it a second time, just to make sure that actually happened.

"Why didn't we see this before?" demanded Grace, turning away and looking out of the nearest window, attempting to rid herself of the images in her mind of the women tired up.

"The tape was at the bottom of the pile I was given." Replied max quietly.

"History repeats itself." Muttered Grace.

"What?" questioned Max, confusion suddenly turning to realisation.

"I don't think Rachel was exactly honest about what happened when she was kidnapped. There are too many holes in this story." Replied grace, still staring out of the nearest window.

"We need to talk to Rachel. Now." Said Max, turning off his monitor.

"Should we update the Gov?" asked Grace.

"Phone him on the way." Replied max, grabbing his jacket.


	9. Chapter 9

Millie was perched on the end of Rachel's bed, holding her hand as she slept through a nightmare. She had been with the sergeant since she was found, and refused to leave her when Tony had come over and offered to take over guard duty.

They had called Rachel's parents, but they cared little, insisting that she was a big girl so she should be able to handle things all by herself. They had also tried her brother, who laughed at the very mention of her name, and called her a few choice words before slamming down the phone. The only person who even appeared remotely worried about her was a cousin, who said she would jump on the first flight home from Australia to look after her for a few weeks.

When Millie had told Rachel that her cousin Terry was coming over for a few weeks to look after her she was more than displeased. Her face looked like thunder, and all she could say was "Fine" in a furious tone. When Millie had asked her why she was so angry at this she had stared at the ceiling and said nothing.

"No... Not again… Get me out... No… Leave me alone!" Mumbled Rachel in her uneasy sleep.

"Sarge?" called Millie uncertainly.

"No…No...Get me out…" she moaned in reply.

"Sarge, you're having a bad dream!" Cried Millie, rushing to her side and touching her shoulder gently.

Rachel had begun to cry in her sleep now, sniffling and whining quietly and causing Millie to run and get a nurse.

"Rachel! Can you hear me?" Called the nurse, "Wake up you're having a bad dream!"

Rachel thrashed around for several seconds before sitting bolt upright, grabbing hold of Millie with her good arm and pulling her into a tight hug. Millie returned this and went back to whispering calming words in her ear, to which she gradually relaxed. As her grip on Millie's uniform loosened Millie gently took her arm from around her back and placed it on her lap.

"What was the dream about?" Millie quizzed.

Rachel stared up at her, eyes puffy from crying and her eyes full of fear.

"I barely remember" Lied Rachel, but Millie noticed she was shaking badly so didn't press the issue.

"Are you ok now?" asked Millie, concern clear in her voice.

"I'm fine. Sorry for grabbing you like that." She murmured, going slightly red in the face.

"I don't mind." Said Millie, smiling.

Millie put a hand on her shoulder and gave her a slight squeeze before getting up off of the bed and walking over to the curtain and opening it.

"Why are you doing that?" asked Rachel, growling at the sunlight hit her full in the face, making her eyes water.

"Well. Max and Grace are coming and you look like hell." Millie replied, grinning at her reproachful expression.

"Oh, _thank you _PC Brown." Grumbled Rachel.

"Come on. I know you're scared but you can't sit in that bed and hide away forever." Said Millie a little more sternly.

"I'm not hiding-" Began Rachel, flummoxed.

"Yes you are Rachel." Said Millie, smile completely gone. "You just sit here, yelling in your sleep and guarding every time someone questions you about the past."

"I…" began Rachel, at a loss for what to say. The shock on her face was evident; one of her officers was telling her to buck up.

"Where are you staying?" Asked Millie abruptly.

"What?" Replied a confused Rachel.

"Where are you staying after you get released?" Millie said, pulling up a chair next to her bed.

Rachel snorted. "You make this sound like prison."

Millie gave her another stern look.

"My house I guess." Replied Rachel after a few seconds.

"So you're going to stay at the house after he got your bag?" questioned Millie. "Don't you have your address in your phone?"

Rachel made a loud gulping sound and swung off of the bed. She stood up and walked towards the window before she spoke.

"I have nowhere safe I can go." She muttered, "So I have to go to the place he has full access to."

"No, you don't. Stay with me." Replied Millie shortly.

"What? Millie no I couldn't impose its not-" began Rachel, a bundle of excuses buzzing around her brain as she turned around to face her officer.

"You wouldn't be. I live in a house with two spare bedrooms. It's fine." Countered Millie. "Your cousin can stay with us too."

"Millie…are you sure?" Asked Rachel.

"Positive. Someone's got to look after you." Millie replied, grinning.

As Rachel stood there smiling back she realised that there was something else at work here, but she couldn't put her finger on it. Millie had stayed with her since she was found, and refused to leave her side even for food. She had held her hand through every nightmare, and comforted her every time she felt like crying her eyes out. Right now Rachel trusted Millie more than she had trusted anyone in a long time.

As she stood there contemplating this realisation she went into a daze, only to have Millie steer her back onto the bed by her shoulders. She stared into Millie's eyes as she sat beside her, seeing something more than a friend but not quite understanding what. Just as she thought she was close to finding out what this is Max and Grace came up behind them both, startling Rachel. Millie's hand automatically found her shoulder without looking.

"Sorry Rachel but this is important." Said Max, undeterred by the bruises and cast or the startled expression on her face.

"We have a few more questions about what happened." Said Grace as Millie squeezed Rachel's shoulder reassuringly.

"And a few questions about three years ago." Added max, staring at Millie with a confused expression on his face as if to say: _why do you care so much?_

Rachel blew out a long sigh. She knew this was it. This was the day that her past came back around again to cause more trouble.

"Fine." She replied after giving Millie a look to assure her she was fine.


	10. Chapter 10

Neil was standing on a driveway along with Sally and Smithy, knocking on the door of the house Max and Grace had told them Rachel's attacker had been seen with several other men and a women tied up in a sack. Sally had made an incredulous cry at that and demanded that she accompany him and Smithy to the house in question.

They were all now standing outside, peering into the window next to the door, trying to catch any signs of life.

"Anything?" asked Sally impatiently after standing outside the house for two minutes.

"Nothing. Ok looks like we are going to have to take the door down." Replied Neil, disheartened.

Smithy and Neil readied themselves, preparing to bash the door in when Sally walked up to it and turned the handle. It opened with a small clicking sound. Sally walked in slowly, followed by Smithy and Neil, readying their batons as they went.

Sally took the upper floors, while Smithy searched the basement and Neil handled the ground floor. Sally had to tread carefully, avoiding all the broken glass and blood that was on the floor. There were streams of cobwebs dangling from the walls, and the light hand been pulled off of the ceiling, left hanging by a few wires.

Sally crossed the landing with care, making sure nothing was dislodged as she walked. As she neared a room with a closed door she heard muffled whimpers. She acted quickly upon hearing these, and strode over to the door, still careful not to step on anything.

"Hello? This is the police." Sally called. "Are you ok?"

All she could hear was more muffled whimpers and a quiet cry for help.

Sally leaned over the nearest banister and called Smithy and Neil who came running.

" There's someone in there." Sally said, pointing at the closed door.

"Hello?" bellowed Smithy. "I'm Sergeant Smith. Can you open this door?"

There was a muffled "No" in reply then more whimpering.

Smithy turned the handle but to no avail, the door was stuck tight.

"Ok, get away from the door I'm going to break it down." Shouted Smithy. "Ready?"

There was no reply or whimpering sounds to be heard this time, just the silence ringing in their ears. Smithy pressed his ear to the door but shook his head. He took a step back and motioned Sally and Neil to one side of him before kicking the door in.

The first thing they all noticed upon the door being kicked in was a putrid smell meeting their nostrils, causing Smithy to gag and Sally to cough. Neil put a hand over his mouth and nose then entered slowly.

The room was pitch black, and it took a few seconds of Neil scrabbling around for a switch to illuminate the place in a dim yellow light. There were three people on the floor, two of them dead and appeared to have been that way for quite some time by the amount of flies buzzing around them, and another staring at them wide eyed, gag tied cruelly tight around her mouth and numerous cuts on her arms.

Smithy was the next to enter, and he and Sally immediately set about untying the girl while Neil leant over the bodies.

"It's ok, we have you now. You're safe." Said Sally slowly and clearly, over the top of the girls cries.

"Can you tell us your name?" asked Smithy, smiling and putting on a friendly voice despite the overwhelming stench.

"Amy, Amy redstart." Replied the girl in a whisper.

"Ok, Amy we need to get you out of here and to a hospital, ok?" Sally said, mimicking Smithy's false smile.

Amy nodded, and allowed herself to be carried from the room and placed on a dusty sofa on the ground floor by smithy. Sally was already on her radio, calling for an ambulance and backup to explore the rest of the house. Amy was sitting on the sofa, shaking, with the cuts on her arms bleeding but otherwise unharmed.

"Amy, can you tell us what happened?" asked Smithy, putting his jacket around her.

"T-This man, h-he offered me a ride home and took me here, then he cut my arms and tied me up in that stinking room." Cried the girl.

"Amy how old are you?" Smithy asked, holding the jacket around her shoulders.

"15." She replied in a small voice.

"Do you know where we can find your parents?" Sally asked, staring at the cuts on the girls arms.

"They're on holiday. I'm with my aunt." Replied the girl, who was shaking violently.

Moment later the ambulance pulled up outside the house, and Amy was escorted to the hospital by smithy. Neil turned to Sally, who was lost in thought.

"Sally? Are you ok?" Neil asked.

"Those knife marks on her arms. They were just like the ones on Sergeant Weston." Sally replied.

"I'm not surprised. We're not just dealing with an assault, we're dealing with two murders and an attempted murder." Neil said darkly. "Looks like Sergeant Weston wasn't Jim Davis' only target."


	11. Chapter 11

Rachel sighed deeply, trying to calm herself. She had to answer these questions, she knew that, but they were tough. If she answered these then they would have more than just a fraudster on their hands, also a human trafficker and murderer.

"I..." She said at last, looking down to the ground. "I didn't tell you everything."

"Rachel, why? You know that you could be charged with obstruction of jus-" Began max, stopping after Grace deliberately trod on his foot.

"Because it was easier." She replied, still not looking at them.

Millie had her arms around Rachel, trying to help her relax, but with little effect. Rachel was shaking violently now, her eyes squeezed shut.

"Ok, can you tell us what really happened?" Grace asked.

"I wasn't just kept in the house they found me in. I was taken somewhere else." Replied Rachel, trying to stop her voice from shaking. "There was a... a vault, or that's what it looked like. It was full equipment."

"What kind of equipment?" asked Max, watching Grace scribbling furiously on her notepad.

"I'm not sure. It looked like things you would find in the vets." Replied Rachel. "And there was this women, she was tied to a metal table by these… I guess you would call them shackles."

"Ok, go on." Said grace, still scribbling.

"T-they had this metal rod thing in the fire and t-they… took it out and rested it on her stomach." She said after a sharp intake of breath.

"So this place, it was a torture chamber?" Questioned max, eyes wide.

"Yes." Replied Rachel in a small voice.

"Rachel did they do anything to you?" Asked Grace, placing a hand on her knee.

"They shoved me in this room that was pitch black. When they opened the door again and threw the women in saw it was full of bodies." She murmured, squeezing her eyes shut once more.

Millie felt her shoulder tense under her hand. She gave her shoulder a squeeze and put a hand over hers. Rachel leaned in on her, letting out shaky breaths.

"Um, after about a day they took me out of there, and back to the building I was found at, right after I shot him." She added, smiling a quick thank you at Millie.

"Rachel, I'm a little confused. Why didn't you tell us this before?" Quipped Max. "There's nothing in this statement so far that would warrant hiding."

"I haven't told you everything." Muttered Rachel darkly.

Max moaned loudly. "And how long are you planning on keeping this _dark _secret?"

"I'm sorry! I just can't tell you…" She cried, tears welling up.

"I think you should stop." Said Millie, hugging Rachel tightly as she began to cry yet again.

"Rachel please. We need this information. If there's something we need to know then please, tell us!" Implored grace.

Suddenly the double doors at the back of the emergency department crashed open, to reveal Sergeant Smith along with a teenage girl with cuts on her arms and Sally behind. Sally caught Rachel's gaze and ran over, dirt in her blonde hair and all over her face.

"Sally, what happened?" Asked Grace, she and Max simultaneously jumping to their feet.

"We went into that house. That girl they just bought in, she was left for dead, bundled on top of two dead bodies." Sally replied breathlessly. "Neil wants to talk to Rachel."

"No, No, No I can't do this!" Cried Rachel suddenly, "I just want to get out of here!"

"You will! Relax!" Shouted Millie, pulling her back into a hug. "They are discharging you today!"

Rachel just sobbed in response, clinging onto Millie's uniform. Everyone was so focussed on Rachel and Millie they didn't notice the women who had come up behind them. She was tall with long, dark brown hair and blue eyes.

"Rach?" Called Terry uncertainly, "are you alright?"


	12. Chapter 12

Everyone stood there for a second, staring at the black haired women.

"I'm fine Terry, you didn't have to come." Sniffed Rachel, wiping her nose on her sleeve.

She snorted. "Clearly I did. Who's this?"

"I'm PC Brown, Millie, we spoke on the phone." Replied Millie, going slightly red in the face.

"Ah yes I remember." She said, sitting down next to her cousin.

"We're going back to the nick." Max said, "If you feel like telling us what happened, Rachel, the please call me."

With that he and Grace walked away, leaving Sally standing there awkwardly.

"I'm going to go get cleaned up and find out how the girl is." Sally said, glancing at the dirt on her hands.

"Hey, call me when you know. We're getting out of here in about an hour." Millie Replied, still holding Rachel.

"Are you two…" questioned Terry, raising an eyebrow at Millie's arms wrapped around Rachel's shoulders.

"No!" they shouted in unison.

"God, Terry! I'm straight still!" Moaned Rachel, pulling away from Millie a little red in the face from crying and from embarrassment.

"Right, well I'm going to give you two a moment-" Began Millie instinctively.

"No. Since we're staying in your house I think you need to hear this." Rachel said, eyes glowing.

"O-Ok I'll just sit here then." Millie said, sitting down in a chair with an awkward expression on her face.

"Wait, were staying at her _house?_" Said Terry incredulously. "Why?"

"I had my bag in my car. He knows where I live." Replied Rachel in a worried tone. "I just don't feel safe there."

"I've got two spare bedrooms." Added Millie, noticing the questioning look on her face.

"You two must be close if you're helping out like this." Said Terry, smiling at Millie.

"Not really." Admitted Rachel. "It's just I feel safe with her and she won't take no for an answer."

"Well I'm glad you have someone other than me looking after you." Terry replied. "So how long until we get you out of here?"

Rachel shrugged. "As soon as the doctor comes around with the paperwork."

"Do you want to get changed?" asked Millie, nodding at the gown she was wearing.

"I would if I had any clothes." Muttered Rachel, going red again.

"I thought you would say that. I bought some on my way over here." Terry sighed, pulling clothing out of one of the numerous bags she was holding. "I'm guessing you're still the same size as the last time I saw you."

"Thanks." She muttered, grabbing the clothes and going redder still.

"We'll let you get changed." Millie said, making to leave and pull the curtains as Terry did the same.

Millie and Terry stood outside and waited, both glancing from the curtains to each other occasionally. After a couple of minutes they could hear sobbing.

"Rach?" Called Terry.

"I…" Murmured Rachel.

"Are you ok?" Shouted Millie.

"I can't get dressed." Muttered Rachel, embarrassment clear in her voice.

"Its fine, I'll help." Terry said soothingly, disappearing around the curtains.

After about five more minutes, Terry pulled the curtains back again, to reveal Rachel pulling the zip of her coat up to her neck. A nurse held out a form for Rachel to sign, and gave her some tablets , which she took wordlessly and scribbled her name with her left hand, her writing hand still bound in a cast. They all walked wordlessly out of the hospital, Millie walking in front, Terry walking slightly behind with Rachel. When they reached the car, Millie stopped briefly to open the door.

"Ok, I'll take my car you follow on behind." Said Millie, allowing Rachel to climb into the front with her.

"I'll follow on behind." Called Terry, climbing into her car which was parked beside Millie's.

As the set off Rachel faced Millie, mouthing the words "_Thank you"_ as she drove away from the hospital. She placed a hand on Millie's thigh, sending a curios sensation shooting through Millie's body, but what it meant she had no idea.


	13. Chapter 13

_**Some hours later **_

Neil was back at CID, sitting at his desk and rubbing his forehead. He had pulled two shifts in a row and was tiring fast. But something wouldn't let him stop. He had to find this man before he hurt anyone else, but with Rachel's reluctance to talk and the girl, Amy, still to traumatized to give a straight answer they were basically at square one.

Neil got up and walked across to Max's desk, where the CCTV of Jim Davis and two other thugs coming out of that house with the women was still playing over and over. Neil watched the last part, them driving away in Rachel's car and frowned deeply. He had targeted an officer, stole her bag and car, and left her in an alleyway, cowering in fear. That was what was keeping him from stopping to rest. This guy was an animal, and had to be caught no matter what the cost. Suddnely there was a quiet knock on the door.

"Yes?" called Neil, without looking.

"How's the case going?" Asked Millie.

"Millie, didn't your shift finish hours ago?" Questioned Neil.

"I did two shifts in a row and just spoke to inspector Gold. She gave me two weeks off to help with Rachel and Terry." Replied Millie.

"Terry?"

"She's Rachel's cousin." Said Millie, "So how is it going?"

"We have all the evidence we need to prosecute but no one _to _prosecute." Neil replied, looking at the timeline in front of him. "Do you think Rachel knows more than she's saying about this man?"

"I'm not sure how much, but she definitely knows more." Replied Millie. "Every time we mention it she just goes quiet though."

"So you've tried? Millie I need you to get that information, no matter what it takes." Replied Neil, turning to face her.

"I'll try Sarge." Said Millie as she walked out.

Neil sighed. He knew that it was a long shot asking Millie to get the information, but she had a better chance than anyone else in the nick did. As Neil watched the footage once more there was a gentle knock at the door from Gina Gold.

"I was wondering if you had any news on Rachel. I didn't get to ask Millie much." She said, staring at the timeline.

"She's staying with Millie, and her cousin is there as well." Neil replied, turning his gaze back to the screen.

"What were the extent of her injuries?" Gina asked, staring at the timeline still.

"Here, these will give you a clue." Neil said, pulling open a draw in his desk and taking out a file.

Gina opened the file and gasped: it was full of the photos they had taken of Rachel at the hospital. They were mostly of the bruises and several were done of the cuts on her stomach, and of the black eyes. Neil watched as Gina's expression became more and more furious, showing that she felt a responsibility for her sergeant.

"Gina, he targeted her specifically, there was nothing we could have done." Said Neil, standing up and walking to her side.

"I was there, in the pub. I was talking to her, I saw her leave. Yet while I was enjoying another drink one of my officers what out in an alley having her head smashed in!" shouted Gina, slamming the file down on a nearby desk.

"Gina, it's not your fault-" Began Neil, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"I know it's not my fault, but I'm her inspector, and she and Smithy are under me, yet I know more about our newest recruit than I do one of our most gifted sergeants!" Yelled Gina, shrugging off his hand.

"Rachel isn't the kind of officer to go around talking to people about her life!" Neil shouted desperately, "She likes to keep herself to herself, that's just who she is and if you had tried to find out about her life she would have probably turned a cold shoulder to you!"

"I was looking at her file earlier; do you know what it says?" Asked Gina. "Comes from a middle class family. That's it, that's all it says about her personal life."

"There's nothing we can do to change what happened, but we can make sure Rachel recovers." Said Neil, again placing a hand on her shoulder once more.

"Wells that's not good enough for me. I'm going to go and see how she is after my shift's done." Replied Gina, stomping out of CID.


	14. Chapter 14

Rachel was sitting at Millie's dining table, a look of utter disbelief on her face. She had been staring at the newspaper headline for the last 10 minutes, unknown to her cousin, who was busy preparing food next door. It was the free newspaper that was posted through every door in Sun Hill. The headline was:

_POLICE UNDER ATTACK: SERGEANT BEATEN IN ALLEYWAY_

Underneath was a picture of Rachel boarding the ambulance, Millie standing slightly behind, waiting to climb on and Sally, attempting to block the cameras from getting closer. Below this was an article on how the police "was failing to protect our streets and their own kind", the beating Rachel had received being described as "proof of the law system's incompetence". Rachel sat there fuming at this until Terry stepped out from the kitchen, handing her some pasta she had just made.

"What's this?" she asked, taking the newspaper and putting the food down in front of her and handing her a knife and fork.

"I'm today's headline." Replied Rachel, feeling slightly nauseous as she stared at the food in front of her.

"Rach.. Don't pay attention to that rubbish, it's just hype." She murmured dismissively, casting the paper into the recycling box. "Are you planning on eating that or trying to move it with your mind?"

Rachel felt her mind slip, and she was back in the alleyway with him standing over her, hitting her, slashing her… Then she was back in the torture chamber, staring at the instruments, and in horror at the women shackled to the table, he shocked eyes widening as she saw Rachel, recognition written all over her face…

"Rach" Called terry softly, "Don't think about him, not now."

"It's hard not to." She murmured, after jerking her mind back to the present."I wasn't thinking about him."

"Then what?" she asked, sitting down opposite her.

"Three years ago." She replied, raising her head to look into her cousin's eyes.

"That's the past. Don't think about it." Was the reply, as she got up from the table and went to stare out of a nearby window to hide her expression.

"It may be the past, but he isn't, and neither is what he-" Began Rachel, staring at her.

"Just eat your food." She grunted, turning to face her again, expression unreadable.

As Rachel ate slowly her mind drifted back once more. Turning to look over her shoulder at the women, screaming in pain as the rod was placed on her stomach, then being plunged into blackness as the door closed, feeling nothing but the dead bodies surrounding her. She let out a small cry, and prayed that the backup she had tried to call turned up before it was too late. She saw another chink of light and moved towards it, only to be crushed by the women, who was thrown into the room along with her. She was yelling in pain…

"So what's up with you and PC Brown?" Terry suddenly asked, cutting across her thoughts.

"What?" Questioned Rachel, confused.

"Oh come on." She snapped. "I saw the way you were looking at each other, don't deny it."

"There's nothing going on between us." Said Rachel flatly. "I barely know her."

"Don't lie. There is something goin on, I can see it." Countered Terry, focussing her beady eyes on her cousin, who was glaring at her.

"Terry there is nothing-" began Rachel, cut off by her cousin's shrill laugh.

"How long are you planning on denying it, it's so obvious a blind man could see it!" she shouted, pointing at Rachel triumphantly. "So how long have you had feelings for your officer?"

"I… She… I felt different about her when she and PC Armstrong found me. I don't know why, she just made me feel safe." Replied Rachel in a small voice, slowly turning a beetroot colour.

"What's wrong? Just tell her how you feel, I can see she feels the same way!" Laughed Terry.

"What? How do you know she feels the same way?" Demanded Rachel, standing up.

"She looks at you the same way you do her for one, and the fact that she can't stop hugging you." Replied Terry simply.

Rachel considered this, and then shook her head. "I-I... I can't."

"Why not?" Questioned Terry, staring at her cousin with a confused expression.

"I haven't been with anyone since…since he died." She replied, looking down.

"I know. But that was three years ago and Taylor would want you to move on with your life." Replied Terry, placing a hand gently on her shoulder.

"How do you know that? He died for nothing, Davis wasn't even charged for it!" Snapped Rachel, looking down.

"Rach, stop. If you like Millie, then tell her! For gods sakes it doesn't always have to be so complicated!" Shouted Terry, spreading her arms wide.

"If I tell her that, and we get involved, then I'm going to have to tell her _everything_." Rachel muttered. "Are you ok with that? I'm not starting a relationship with secrets."

"So tell her! It doesn't matter if she knows." Replied Terry. "After all, they are going to find about me eventually."


	15. Chapter 15

Millie was walking home after a long conversation about Rachel with Gina. She was exhausted, but that had nothing to do with the fact she had worked nearly 4 shifts without rest. It was all to do with the mental battle she found herself in, fighting the feelings she was developing for her superior officer. She wasn't exactly sure why she felt so close to Rachel after she was attacked, but this was a side of the sergeant she didn't see all too often. Well, ever.

She wasn't a talkative person by nature, the only time you could really have a conversation with her was when it was about a case. Yet Millie felt compelled to help her by feelings that she had never felt for anyone so strongly. It was like seeing her injured made something in Millie's brain want to be close to her, to protect her and never let go. She was so lost in thought that she didn't hear the car horn behind her.

"Oi! You going deaf?" shouted Gina Gold, sticking a hand out of her car and motioning Millie to get in.

"Where are we going?" asked Millie, strapping herself into the seat beside her inspector.

"Your house. I need to talk to Sergeant Weston." Replied Gina. "Why were you walking? You live about an hour's walk away!"

"I needed to clear my head." she replied, looking down at her hands.

"How is she?" asked Gina, pulling away form the curb.

"She's… Coping. In that way that she does." Muttered Millie.

"Ok let me try another way. How is she _really _doing?" Gina asked, turning to her briefly.

"She keeps having nightmares, and she seemed to be flashing back when she was in the hospital, and she's keeping something about this quiet." Replied Millie matter-of-factly.

"Can I ask why she isn't at her home?"

"He had her bag, and with his previous record we couldn't trust that he wouldn't attack her again." Replied Millie.

"Why specifically your house?" Asked Gina, picking up on something in Millie's tone of voice.

"I offered, I just wanted to help." Millie replied, void of emotion.

"PC brown, you can't lie to me. What's going on here?" Quipped Gina.

"Nothing what do you-" began Millie, but Gina stopped the car suddenly and turned to her.

"You and Sergeant Weston have never before now even been in the same room together for more than five minutes. You have barely spoken since she joined. Now suddenly she's attacked and you feel obligated to let her into your house and help her recover, plus I hear this is the first time you've left her side." Gina stated, watching Millie go from at first defensive, to passive, then finally submissive. She was sitting there with her head bowed low, closing her eyes.

"It's just... I don't know! I'm sorry." Cried Millie, covering her head with her hands.

"Millie…" murmured Gina, pulling her into a hug after she unbuckled her belt.

"It's just... I've never felt this way about a woman before…." Sobbed Millie. "I don't know what this is!"

"Millie, I know you're confused, so would any sane person in your position be. But by what I've heard from the relief gossip Rachel needs you. You're helping her recover by just being in the same room as her. Millie, just stay strong because these things have a way of working themselves out." Gina said reassuringly.

Millie didn't look convinced, but she was feeling a lot better now she had admitted it. She had feelings for Sergeant Rachel Weston, and no idea where they were headed.


	16. Chapter 16

Sally was pacing outside the room where Amy was, waiting to hear what had happened. Ever since she had seen her sergeant in the alleyway, she had had the urge to go vigilante again and track the monster down herself and deal with things. She was only resisting the urge because she wanted to get justice, and what she had in mind was justice but not exactly the kind a police officer should be aspiring to get.

Sally sighed, she knew that if she stuck one toe beyond the line then she would be out on her ear, and handed paper to write her resignation on by Gina Gold and Smithy personally. She had to go by the book, but by the book was frustrating sometimes, especially the infuriating idea that the attacker was still out there somewhere.

Smithy walked towards the door and opened it, motioning sally to follow him to the reception area. Smithy sat down on a chair and read through the notes, sally watching him as he did so.

"She told us that he grabbed her from behind, it appears that the weapon that was used on her arms was the same that was used on Sergeant Weston." Said Smithy, still scanning through his notes.

"Ok, do CID know?" questioned Sally, rubbing her forehead with her hands.

"Yes. I radioed them when I was still with her. I need you to get back to the nick and take the girl's clothing to forensics." Said Smi5thy staring up at her.

Sally nodded, collecting the girl's clothes from reception and walking out, straight to the police car. She stopped outside, remembering that she had to phone Millie and update her, so took out her phone and called.

"Millie? Hey." Said Sally, staring around her as she called.

"Hey sally, how's the girl?" Millie asked, croaking slightly.

"She's going to be fine, though she might have some scarring." Sally replied. "How's Rachel? Settling in?"

"She's fine, I'm heading home now." Croaked Millie.

"Where are you?" asked Sally, bundling the clothing into the back of the car.

"Inspector Gold's car, she's giving me ride because she wants to see Rachel." Millie said, "Where are you?"

"Outside A&E. I'm taking some evidence back to the nick."

"Well I won't keep you. See you later." Millie said and with that she left the conversation.

Sally stood there for several seconds in a daze, wondering what was wrong with Millie, before shaking her head slightly and clambering into the front of the car. As she drove off she briefly looked back, turning to the hospital, sighing a little. Two people hurt by the same man in a matter of days. One of them a minor, one of them a officer.

One thing Sally had always prided herself on was her instincts. She knew when something was amiss, or when a case had more to it than originally met the eye. Something was very, very wrong. This man had come out of nowhere, and started attacking people randomly, no way. There was something obvious that she was missing here, something hidden in plain sight. One piece of the puzzle missing….

Then it clicked. Terry. But what was her connection?


	17. Chapter 17

Rachel was still sitting at the table, waiting for Terry to help her off of the chair since her ribs were hurting. She was trying not to think about Millie, but that was near impossible. She was occupying every conscious and subconscious thought that Rachel had, like a fly buzzing around her head all night. Terry emerged from the kitchen, staring at her cousin with a stern expression on her face.

"So when she comes home tonight, tell her." She quipped. "Tell her you like her."

"What? Are you mad?" retorted Rachel, staring at her wide eyed.

"Nope. You will never know what could happen if you don't tell her." She replied, smirking.

"Maybe I don't want a relationship with a woman." Muttered Rachel.

Terry snorted. "Then stop staring at her with longing looks."

"I'm not-" But before Rachel could reply, they heard a key turn in the lock, and soon Gina Gold and Millie were standing in the kitchen, both staring at Rachel.

"Inspector!" gasped Rachel.

"Hello Sergeant Weston." Replied Gina, taking a seat beside her.

"Hey Rachel." Said Millie, smiling.

"Hi…" murmured Rachel, going slightly red. _Don't want a relationship with a woman? That was the worst lie she had thought of in history. _

"How are you?" Asked Gina, staring at her two bruised eyes.

"I'm as good as I can be right now I guess." She replied, avoiding hers and Millie's gazes.

"Not in too much pain, I hope?" Quizzed Gina, now staring at her wrist.

"No, I'm good." Replied Rachel, still looking away.

"Do you two want to talk?" Asked Terry, making to leave the room.

"Wait, this isn't official, is it?" asked Rachel, staring angrily towards Gina. "I'm not answering any more damn questions!"

"No, I'm just here to see how one of my officers is bearing up after an assault, and wishing you a speedy recovery." Replied Gina calmly.

"Sorry. Thanks." Muttered Rachel, going a deeper shade of red. "How's the case going?"

"No leads as to where Davis is, I'm afraid." Said Gina apologetically.

"Ok, and the girl that was bought in?" questioned Rachel, looking at Millie.

"Oh, Sally phoned me in the car, she's going to be fine, albeit traumatized." Replied Millie, smiling gently.

"Good." Sighed Rachel, sounding Relieved. "Was it him that hurt her?"

"We think so; the description she gave Sally matched the one you gave us." Replied Gina gently.

"Damn I just don't get it!" Shouted Terry suddenly. "I thought he only hated us!"

"Terry!" Hissed Rachel, "Shut up!"

Too little too late.

"What?" Quipped Millie, turning to face Terry. "You're involved too?"

"He hates us becuase-" Began Terry, cut off by Rachel again.

"D_on't!"_ Shouted Rachel, jumping to her feet and immediately regretting it as a pain shot through her ribs.

"Rachel, whatever is going on here, we need to know if it's to do with the case." Said Gina, her and Millie helping her back onto the chair.

"You don't need to know." Muttered Rachel darkly. "That stuff is old, and it's irrelevant."

"You know that's a lie." Muttered Terry. "You're fine with telling your crush this stuff and not the others?"

"_Can you just shut it?" _She yelled, _turning_ around and staring at her.

Suddenly Rachel felt her chest getting tight, her shouts dying in her throat. Millie, Gina and Terry watched in horror as she started to gasp for air. They took her off of the chair and lowered her to the floor, Millie stroking her hair in a vain attempt to calm her. Terry grabbed her mobile and phoned an ambulance, as Gina helping Rachel stay upright.

"Hang in there..." Murmured Millie softly.


	18. Chapter 18

Grace was sitting in the canteen, staring at her mug of cold coffee, unsure of how long she had been sitting there exactly. She was supposed to be at home, resting, but sleep was far from her mind. The expression on Rachel's face when they had asked her about the hostage crisis was implanted in her mind, and was refusing to leave her alone. At that point it was very clear that something was very, very wrong with Rachel, and it was also clear to both max and her that there was some dark secret being kept here.

Sally had approached Grace and told her that she thinks there is some connection between Jim Davis and Terry, but she wasn't sure. Sally was known to have good instincts, even if how she dealt with criminals was under question. She was a good person at heart and also had killer instincts when it came to cases such as these.

Just as she was considering getting up and going back to her officer if she could sneak around Jack when her phone started ringing. She answered it as quickly as she could, rummaging sleepily through her bag.

"Hello?" called Grace slightly louder than she had intended.

"Grace? It's Gina. I tried Max and Jack but they weren't answering." Replied Gina.

"What's up?" Said Grace, quietly this time.

"It's Rachel; she had a bad panic attack while I was visiting her." Replied Gina, worry clear in her tone.

"Is she alright?" Replied Grace, alarmed.

"She's in the emergency room, they had to sedate her." Came the reply a moment later.

"Do you want me to tell Jack?" asked Grace, "And smithy?"

"Jack yes, Smithy no. He may be the last person she wants to see at the moment." Replied Gina, "she had refused us access, anyway."

"Ok, I'll tell them, see you." Said Grace quickly, flipping the lid of her phone closed.

Grace walked quickly up the flight of stairs to CID, secretly dreading the meeting she was about to have with Jack, who's first question was definitely going to be why the hell is she still on site. She was so busy thinking as she walked up the stairs she walked straight into Jo.

"Woah, where's the fire?" Yelled Jo, snapping Grace out of her daze.

"Sorry, Rachel's been admitted to the hospital, severe panic attack apparently" Replied Grcae, staring at the floor.

"What? Is she alright?" Asked Jo, concern clear.

"She's been sedated... I need to tell Jack." Replied Grace, giving her a meaningful look.

"And you're not supposed to be here." Finished Jo, "I'll tell him, you get to the hospital, update me about what's going on when you get there."

"Ok" replied Grace, turning to leave. Jo walked back up the way she had came, her high heels echoing down the stairwell.

The car journey was quick; she was there in about ten minutes because there wasn't as much traffic as there is during the day. As she neared the hospital, she saw a familiar face standing outside. Terry had her eyes closed, breathing deeply, clearly trying to calm herself.

"Terry?" Called Grace uncertainly.

"Yeah, who are you?" Came the wary reply.

"I'm Grace, I'm a DC." Replied Grace, smiling warmly.

"So I guess you want to know what happened?" quizzed Terry, still looking at her warily.

"No, I wanted to know what your connection is to what happened to Rachel." Replied Grace, smile gone.

Terry considered this for a minute then smiled. "Oh, you're good. Very good. What makes you think I'm connected?"

"Not me. One of our officers and her instincts haven't been wrong yet." Quipped Grace.

"Well you're right. But Rachel had the panic attack because I almost told Millie and Gina Gold." Replied Terry quietly. "I'm not telling anyone without her permission."

"Look I know it's hard but if you're holding back evidence then I'll have to-" Began Grace e in a monotone.

"Arrest me, and charge me with obstruction of justice. I'm sure Rach would love that." Retorted Terry matter-of-factly.

"Are you still refusing to cooperate?" asked Grace angrily.

"Yes." Replied Terry simply.

"Then you leave me no choice." Said Grace, pulling out a pair of handcuffs.


	19. Chapter 19

Millie felt this increasing sense of Déjà-Vu. She was yet again standing outside of a hospital room, waiting for the all clear. The doctors had told her several hours ago that all she had was a severe panic attack, and as long as she was calm when they took her off the sedative then she would be free to go. But that had been hours ago.

To make matters worse, Terry had disappeared. She told Millie that she was going to cool off outside once they had the news that Rachel was fine. Millie thought at the time she was just doing this as an escape from Gina Gold's penetrating stare across from reception at her but she never returned. Millie had left Rachel for five minutes to go and see where she was but the hospital courtyard was empty. Gina had long since gone home, leaving just Millie there.

Millie had been staring through the glass door to where Rachel was asleep for what felt like days. She didn't want to miss anything; she wanted to make sure that Rachel was really ok. They had told her that she could go and sit in there with her until they decided to wake up, but Millie had politely refused.

Even though she knew she was being stupid, she had this image in her head of herself confessing her feelings towards Rachel's sleeping form and all of a sudden she wakes up and yells at her. She decided to wait outside because she didn't want this odd daydream to become a reality.

Millie ripped her gaze away from the door for a moment and stared around her. There were different nurses on shift now, and a reception lady having an insane conversation on her mobile at the desk that Millie had tried to figure out but given up after the 10th "He said that she said". She had so far been offered multiple cups of tea and about ten different areas of the waiting room to sit in, but she refused all of them. She just wanted to be near Rachel, to see for herself that she really was as fine as they said she was.

As her gaze returned once more to the door and the sleeping Rachel, she felt something vibrate in her pocket and she nearly jumped through the roof. She sighed angrily when she realized it was only her phone and rifled through her pockets for a moment. When she bought it out she frowned. What could Grace want at this time of night?

"Millie?" said the voice at the other end.

"Grace? What's up, any new leads to the case?" Asked Millie hopefully.

"I think you're going to hate me." Replied Grace, slightly quieter than before.

"Why?" asked Millie, confused.

"I arrested Terry Weston for obstruction of justice." Replied Grace in an even smaller voice.

Millie nearly exploded there and then.

"What? Why?" she shouted down the phone, making several nurses stare round at her reproachfully.

"She knows something more about this and she would tell me when I questioned her." Replied Grace defensively.

"We already know that!" Cried Millie angrily, "Rachel had a panic attack because of what she knows!"

"So she wasn't lying…" murmured Grace, "It's too late now, she eventually told me."

"What was it?" asked Millie, every trace of anger gone.

"I think you need to get down here." Replied Grace, and with that she ended the call.

Millie turned to face Rachel again as she put her phone back in her pocket. She knew she wouldn't be gone for too long, but she still hated leaving her. This secret is what had landed Rachel in this hospital bed; whatever it was could answer a lot of questions about this case. Whatever the heck she told Grace was what was scaring Rachel, and could explain everything.

With a last worried look in the direction of the door, she started making her way to the car park.


	20. Chapter 20

Terry was sitting in her cell, crying silently. She had been sitting on the bench in there curled up in a ball for hours. She hated that DC for forcing her to tell, and feared what Rachel would do once she found out. Rachel had sworn her to secrecy over it three years ago, wanting no connection with that man after he changed his name. She sighed; this wasn't going to be an easy conversation.

She knew that she should have said something a long time ago and also that their case is now completely blown apart, now they know the actual truth. The truth wasn't out there, though. So was his location. Not only that but Terry could be facing criminal charges if Grace Dasari gets her way.

She seemed to have no capacity for emotion when it came to interviewing Terry, grilling her for two hours straight about what had happened. Terry was almost reduced to a shrivelled wreck on the floor by the time she was finished, sick of the emotional battle she had endured. Her mind was telling her not to say one word about everything, but her conscience was telling her to scream it so the whole world could hear; anything to stop the mental onslaught.

She didn't want to move, let alone to see anyone. She had asked not to be represented because she didn't think there would be much of a problem keeping everything under wraps, considering the situation. How wrong can you be?

Just as she was finished rewinding the entire interview in her head she heard shots coming from the corridor. Millie and that other officer, PC Armstrong. They were yelling at Grace, calling her a few choice words before barging their way into the holding cells and staring directly at Terry in her dishevelled state.

"Terry, I'm so sorry." Millie said red in the face form anger.

Terry shook her head, refusing to say another word.

"Terry, were going to get you out of here and to the hospital, ok? Rachel's going to be woken up soon." Sally said reassuringly.

Terry merely nodded in response, not reacting to the fact the doors had been opened or that Millie was helping her to her feet. Sally led them both to a car, they sat Terry in the front with Millie.

"Terry, we know your worried about how Rachel is going to react, but if I can do anything to help…" Millie said, trying not to sound as worried as she felt.

Terry gave a wry smile. "There's nothing you can do now."

"I know, but I want you to know this, you've got my support, especially after everything that happened to you two." Replied Millie as she left the car park.

"Mine too." Chimed in Sally.

"Thank you, to both of you." Replied Terry, staring out of the window.


	21. Chapter 21

At first, all Rachel could hear was the steady beeping sound the heart rate monitor was making beside her. After a few seconds she began to hear other sounds, such as muffled voices and the sound of feet on the hard floor. After a few seconds everything snapped into focus, inclusing the voices.

"Hey how are you feeling?" Terry croaked, clearly she had been crying.

"Better." Rachel murmured softly.

"Rach… there's something I need to tell you." Muttered Terry softly, almost hiding behind Millie now.

"I think I can guess." She said, staring at her cousin. "They know."

Terry nodded in response.

Rachel stayed silent for a moment, staring at the ceiling with an unreadable expression. She stayed this way for several seconds, before sitting up and staring at her crying cousin, showing an emotion none of them had expected. Rachel leaned across and placed a hand gently on Terry's shoulder.

"It's ok. I never should have told you to keep that a secret." Rachel said quietly.

Terry jerked her head up from the floor. "You mean Y-you're not angry?"

"No. But I'm curious: how did they get you to tell?" Rachel asked as she frowned at her tear streaked face.

Millie shuffled uncomfortably, and Sally looked up, pretending to be fascinated by the lights on the ceiling. Terry just looked down again, trying to look distracted by something on the underside of her shoe. Rachel made an impatient coughing sound, as if to say "_well?"_

"I er, I was questioned by, Uhm... DC Dasari… down the nick." Replied Terry awkwardly.

"Down the station? Did go you down there voluntarily or something?" quizzed Rachel, having an idea what the reply was going to be.

"No, Uhm, She arrested me for obstruction of justice…" Muttered Terry, still looking down at the fascinating piece of gum stuck to the underside of her shoe.

"_What!" _Shouted Rachel, almost jumping out of the bed.

"Rachel! Calm down!" Millie shouted. "You need to stay calm or they won't let you out of here!"

"What I _need _is to go down to the nick and give Grace a piece of my mind, before _that _kills me" Retorted Rachel, swinging her kegs off of the bed.

Everyone knew that it would be pointless to argue, so Millie and Sally simply slipped out and pulled the curtains around, giving Rachel the privacy to get dressed, and so Terry could help her.

Barely two minutes later she was dressed, clinging onto Terry's arm for support as she was slightly out of breath. They all walked out in silence, no one dared speak a word over the stormy expression that was etched onto Rachel's face, they didn't want to send her into another panic attack. Even the nurses didn't dare stop her leaving; they simply shoved a discharge form in front of her nose as she walked out, which she scribbled her name onto irritably and stormed out of the double doors.


	22. Chapter 22

Sally was standing at the back of the locker room, watching everyone scramble into riot gear. Pretty much the entire uniform and much of CID where going on this mission, most of which volunteered when they heard it would catch Rachel's attacker. Rachel was on her way home, after Millie had managed to persuade her to leave off attacking Grace until after she had caught "Jim Davis".

Though Sally was staring at the hum of officers all discussing who Jim Davis really was, she was miles away. Terry's connection was still reeling through her mind, how could they be _related _to the man that hurt them. What kind of uncle would grab her niece and make her watch as her daughter had a boiling metal rod pressed to her stomach… Sally didn't think she would ever wrap her head around psychopaths. She had seen the images taken from Terry's stomach, the extensive life long scarring she's now left with.

Sally glanced over to where Gina and Smithy were standing, they were talking quietly, but their urgent expressions and pained looks made it all too clear what and who they were talking about. They finished abruptly and turned to face the lines of officers who were now finished putting on their riot gear and were facing the higher-ups, waiting for orders.

"As we all know, this is about catching Rachel Weston's attacker as much as it is dealing with the human trafficking operation we have uncovered." Began Gina, staring at the eyes of each of her officers in turn. "But I know that what we want more than anything is Jim Davis behind bars. I also know that some of you will be keen to stray from the book once we have this monster and his companions in our sights, but I must warn you all, though under the circumstances I would understand it, if _any _of you go vigilante today I will personally make sure the only job you get close to the law is cleaning the nick's toilets. I am _not _having this case mucked up by an idiot officer who thinks they are above the law."

Gina rested her gaze on Sally, who felt a strange sensation travel up her spine as she nodded. Today she was going to go by the book no matter how hard it was. As Gina rested her gaze back on the rest of the officer, PC Millie Brown entered the locker room, also in riot gear.

"Pc brown. I have already said no." Barked Millie, stepping over to her.

"With all due respect, Sarge, this isn't your choice. It's inspector Gold's." Quipped Millie, surprising Smithy.

"PC Brown you are supposed to be looking after Rachel-" Began Gina, also surprised at the forcefulness of the usually shy officer.

"Ma'am, I've been with Rachel for the last few weeks, watching her try to remain the tough bravado we are all used to, then when she thinks no one is looking she starts shaking, rocking backwards and forwards then throwing us off when we try to help her. My mind isn't clouded by revenge like many of the officers here; I want justice for Rachel and for Terry. They deserve it." Said Millie bravely. "They've been through so much."

Gina considered with for a second then nodded. "You will be paired with Sally on this mission."

Millie walked over and stood next to Sally, who was staring at her, mouth agape. Millie grinned sheepishly and turned to face Smithy and Gina.

"As you can see here, the building is a disused warehouse. It had goods tree cover all round, this is where SO19 will be. They will surround the perimeter. I want each pair to be in the sights of one SO19 officer at all times. Once they say they have the area surrounded we move in _behind them. _I do not want any reports of my officers getting shot because they were idiotic enough to jump in front of an armed officer. We search out and arrest anyone we find inside, and take care of any captives. In the event that you find Jim Davis or any other known suspects radio it in. I will be outside along with inspector Gold co-ordinating." Barked Smithy. "Is this understood?"

Everyone nodded and filed out of the station and into the vans, and Sally gave Millie a concerned look.

"You ready for this? It could get intense." Sally said, putting a hand on her friend's shoulders.

"I'm doing this for Rachel. I'm more than ready." Replied Millie, surprising Sally with the sheer determination in her eyes.

…

_**Sorry I haven't got round to posting much this week, I had a lot of exams. I'll try and resume regular posting soon. **_


	23. Chapter 23

As they pulled up and jumped out of one of the seven vans Millie stared around them. They were in what looked like countryside, but it was less than an hour away from the centre of London. A perfect hiding place, they had been hidden in plain sight all the time. Millie filed behind one of the SO19 officers who motioned her and Sally to follow.

The reached the warehouse in a matter of minutes, it was larger than they had expected. The whole thing was made of blue corrugated metal, with windows and about three doors. As they moved around to the sides Millie frowned slightly, no lookouts, no cameras. Clearly they didn't expect to be found.

Sally and Millie stayed behind the officer as instructed, watching as he stood, gun poised in front of him. Suddenly after about a minute a call crackled through the radio on the officer.

"All units." Shouted Smithy, "Go! Go! Go!"

The there was chaos: Officer busting through garage- like doors, yelling at the occupants. Millie and Sally stuck close to each other as they ran into the fray of bottles and stones being thrown at them. Millie narrowly dodged a flying stone and motioned Sally to get down as their eyes adjusted to the gloom.

The smoke was almost black, and clogged their eyes and mouths as they shuffled through the onslaught, using their batons as weapons and hitting any passing thugs to the ground. They didn't bother to arrest them, they left this to S019, and instead they pressed on, searching for their target.

Sally was startled at how determined Millie seemed: every trace of her usual fear and apprehension gone. She was intent on finding this man but Sally could see something more at play than just revenge. She had known Millie since she started at Sun Hill, and though they didn't always see eye to eye Sally's instincts were guaranteed to lead her to right conclusion.

Sally could see it now, this was more than revenge on behalf of a friend, and this was_ love_.

One minute Sally was following Millie, the next she was following no one. Millie had disappeared right in front of her.

…

"PC Armstrong, report!" Shouted Smithy down his radio, staring at the blue warehouse which now had streams of officers entering the fray that had unfolded.

Sally and Millie had been AWOL for several minutes now, no one could see them. Smithy and Gina had spent the last ten minutes yelling down the radios to all the units, to keep an eye out for them. The SO19 officer they had been following said they wandered off at some point, and he was unsure of how long ago because he was wrapped up in arresting the main group of thugs they had surrounded and pinned to a wall.

Smithy was getting seriously concerned now, this reminded him too much of the army. One man would leave, and you'd find him again a few days later, either dead of half scared out of his mind. Millie wasn't even supposed to be here and when paired with the known vigilante it was a recipe of disaster. He wondered if Sally had spotted Davis and tried to take him down on her own, getting her and Millie hurt in the process. If that was the case then Smithy was going to hang Sally out to dry when she was located.

"It's no use, Sergeant Smith, I think we should go in!" Shouted Gina over the screams coming from the warehouse that now resembled a war zone.

"I'll go! You keep co-ordinating!" Yelled Smithy in reply, making his way over to the warehouse.

Smithy thought he heard Gina telling him to be careful, but it was too loud in there to be sure. He ducked under one of the garage doors and stared around him, narrowly dodging wine bottle with shattered on the door. As his eyes adjusted to the gloom he could make out several officers backed up into a corner by some of the thugs, so he ran over and hit them one by one in the shins with this baton. Tony smiled gratefully as he and another officer pounced on them with handcuffs.

Smithy pushed on, intent on finding out where his missing officers had got to. He had to duck low as he snuck past a group of SO19 officers, in the midst of an onslaught of bottles and stones. He also heard gunfire, and prayed it was SO19. As he shuffled past he saw something.

There was a thug with another person slung over his shoulders in a fireman's lift. Her riot helmet had slipped off of her head, revealing a mass of ginger hair... _Millie._ As the thug stooped low to avoid the bottle another officer threw at him he turned around, revealing his identity. Jim Davis.

Smithy darted over to the door he was near, and watched in horror as Davis walked through, carrying Millie with him. Smithy rushed over to the door, but it was too late, it had been locked from the inside.


	24. Chapter 24

Rachel had been pacing around the living room for around three hours now, much to Terry's annoyance. She hadn't been able to rest since Terry had told her that she had known the location of Davis without realising it. She knew what the meant, and also the real reason that Millie had left as soon as she mentioned it. She was going to fight alongside everyone else, and woe betide anyone who got in her way.

Terry had been knawing her left thumbnail while sitting on the couch for a while, still looking emotionally drained from the battle of wills she had been involved in with Grace. Rachel was still fuming over this, but decided to leave off Grace until she was back from catching Davis. Terry hadn't said much since Millie had left, clearly at a loss as to what to say to calm her. Suddenly Rachel's mobile rang, making them both jump.

After fumbling around in her jacket pocket for several moments, Rachel answered.

"Rachel? It's Gina. We have a problem." Shouted Gina above the ruckus of protesting thugs in the background.

"What is it?" Asked Rachel urgently, motioning Terry to her side as she set the phone to speaker.

"Jim Davis has Millie, possibly PC Armstrong also." Yelled Gina.

Rachel was out of the door after the first sentence, with Terry tearing after her.

…

Millie awoke with a loud moan. She had no idea how long she had been tied up, but she guessed quite a while, at least long enough to make her joints stiff. As her eyes focussed she peered around her, squinting through the smoky gloom. She appeared to be in a large room, too dark to see the entrances or exits from where she was, and no way to untie herself from the cold metal chair she was on. She could still hear the yells of police officers and thugs along with the smashing of bottles. She was at least near everyone else.

"Hello?" She yelled through the gloom, "Who did this?"

"PC Millie Brown." Came a husky voice from the shadows. "I see my daughter and niece have taken a shining to you."

"Jim Davis" Whispered Millie, hating the way her voice shook.

"Well done." Said the man as he stepped form the shadows.

Millie gasped as she studied his features. On the photos of him he had a full head of hair, and a faultless face, now he had a large gash down one side of his face with blood dripping from it, and a large bald patch in the middle. As he stepped towards her his feet echoed around the room despite the sounds from outside, sending shudders down Millie's spine.

"What do you want with me?" she asked, trying to sound brave.

"How is Rachel? And Terry? Are they having a good life?" He asked innocently, stroking Millie's hair.

"They were fine until you came back. Why did you attack Rachel?" Demanded Millie, flinching at his touch.

He laughed coldly. "She was still broken inside from what she saw and felt. I had to remind her that those kids of feelings don't just go away overnight."

"You're sick!" spat Millie, "You hurt your own daughter then you hurt your niece. For what? So you could make them suffer?"

"I found myself as a teenager scared of the way that my mind worked. I marvelled at others pain, even more so if it was I who was hurting them. I used this to my advantage over the years, learning to mimic the emotions of other people to pass as "Normal" and setting up a group of like minded individuals to keep me company. It was lonely." He replied, running a finger around in tight circles on her neck.

"Why attack Terry then?" Millie asked cautiously, "Didn't you love your own daughter?"

"Yes, there was definitely a time where I cared for her, the time in which I was married to her mother, but when Elaine died I found myself truly alone in the world once more, and I wanted ot make others suffer, with whatever weapons I had. This is why you are here."

Millie felt herself shaking at the last sentence.

"So I'm what exactly, another person you get to hurt?" She shouted angrily. "I will not let you hurt anyone again!"

"I'd really love to see you stop me. What exactly do you think you can do, you're tied to a chair. My dear, my intention is to hurt you, yes, but not because you are the target. I know how close you and Rachel are becoming even if you refuse to admit it." He replied, sending a cold shudder down Millie's spine as he undone the top button on her shirt with a cold finger."

Millie began to struggle ferociously now, writhing and twisting against the bindings that held her firm.

"Don't touch me!" she snarled, attempting to bite his hand.

He growled and pulled his hand away, and then placed the other over her mouth and nose making her whimper as she fought to breathe.

"Now… What to do with you…" he breathed in her ear, placing a hand on the inside of her thigh.


	25. Chapter 25

Sally was pinned against a wall by one of the thugs, who trying to break her riot helmet with a large stone. As his giant sized hand closed around her throat she yelled out, cutting her off mid cry. Then she realised her feet where still free so she kicked him somewhere that hurts and ran off, coughing because of her very sore throat and how smoky the room was getting.

She whirled around, staring at officers falling to the ground all around her as they struggled the control the barrage of thugs spilling out of doors at the back of the warehouse into the onslaught. It was then she caught site of Smithy at one of the said doors.

He was caught in a vicious headlock by one of the thugs, which Sally got him out of by sprinting over and knocking the guy out. Sally held out a hand to help the sergeant to his feet, but he angrily pushed it away, clambering up unaided.

"Where the hell have you been! Where is your radio?" Shouted the sergeant furiously.

"I dropped it, I'm not sure!" Sally yelled back as they ducked for cover. "Millie's gone I'm not sure-"

"Davis has her, I was trying to radio it in but that guy over there smashed my radio!" Bellowed smithy over the triumphant yells of the thugs.

"Well then we have to rescue her, we have to..." Began Sally, dodging a glass bottle aimed at her head.

"The door he took her through is locked from the inside! There's no way through!" Yelled Smithy back, pushing her down behind a large barrel.

Just as sally was about to reply a SO19 officer joined them.

"You two wouldn't be Smithy and Sally would you?" he quizzed, firing a plastic bullet at a nearby thug.

"Yeah." Replied Sally. "Is inspector Gold worried?"

"She's been yelling down the radio for you two for the past hour and a half, I think you need to get out there! She got the message about Millie, and has sent for backup, she had ordered you two out of the frontline!" replied the officer. "I'll escort you out!"

Sally was about to object but Smithy silenced her with a glance; they needed to let the others deal with this. They were no use to anyone in the state they were in. Sally had a gash above her eye and Smithy had a nice purple bruise forming on his cheek. As they crawled out of the warehouse Gina rushed over to them, her face red with fury.

"Where they hell have you been!" she screeched, sending shivers down Sally's spine.

"Millie was grabbed by Davis and no one could get to her in time, Sally was attacked by a thug who she dealt with and she then helped me knock another guy out, we tried to get out but we couldn't." said Smithy quickly.

"Ok, I want you two with me, where I can see you. You can help me coordinate since it appears you have no radios." Said Gina, face lightening from the relief of finding both her offices safe.

Sally was already making her way back to the warehouse.

"PC Armstrong, NO!" Shouted Smithy, grabbing her arm.

"Millie's in there, I never should have left, I'm going to find my friend!" Screamed Sally. Tears pouring down her cheeks.

"Sally leave it to the others, there's nothing we can do now." Protested Smithy, dragging her back towards everyone else.

What none of them had noticed was the black car pulled up behind them, with Rachel and Terry inside, wearing full riot armour. They both jumped out and ran towards the warehouse, Rachel lagging behind. They stopped when they reached Gina.

"We're going in there; don't even think about stopping us!" Shouted Rachel, determination and pain clear in her expression.

"Rachel You're still recovering, and Terry is not an officer I can't allow-" Began Gina staring at her sergeant wide eyed.

"Jim Davis' real name is David Ersh. Also known as the Redding rapist!" yelled Terry, running towards the warehouse quickly followed by Rachel.

No one dared stop them this time.

"NO!" Screamed Sally, breaking free of Smithy's grip and tearing after them.


	26. Chapter 26

**The start of this chapter is a bit freaky, just to warn you. **

…

Millie screamed as Davis stripped off her riot gear and started biting her neck, still struggling in vain to throw him off of her. He untied the bindings from around her waist and pushed her onto the cold stone floor. He towered over her, leering as she struggled against the bindings that held her hands and feet together.

Millie pinned herself up on one elbow and attempted to shuffle away from him. He walked swiftly over to her and grabbed her head, bashing it against the ground.

"You really think you can get away from me? I own you, girly, just like the others, how dare you try and get away!" He breathed heavily in her ear as she started to cry.

He then started to unbutton the rest of her shirt, biting her neck until it bled if she struggled. He took of her trousers and stared at her body, covered only by her underwear. He turned her around so she was laying flat on her back with her arms, still bound, above her head, the bindings on her legs cutting off the circulation to her feet.

He kneeled down bedside her, and watched at her eyes darted around in their sockets, looking for aid or an escape route. A cold dread settled on her stomach. There was no way out of this. She felt his breath on her neck, and felt the tears running down her cheeks and stinging her eyes as he moved in and kissed her mouth.

She laid motionless at this, overcome by the shock of what was happening to her. Her whole body went numb as he turned her onto her side again and unclipped her bra strap. She whimpered slightly as he did this, and received a slap in the face for making a sound. He then began to speak to her again.

"You know what's going to happen. Stay still and it'll be over quicker." He grunted, turning her back around and kissing her neck once again.

He turned away from her for a second, hands at his belt strap fiddling with the buckle. That was when everything exploded.

Terry came from nowhere, literally falling from the sky and landing on top of Davis' head, knocking him out instantly. Rachel came next, landing on top of his legs, both of which made a sickening crack sound. Terry helped her to her feet and they ran over to Millie, who was crying her eyes out on the floor.

They worked together to untie her bindings, and Rachel immediately pulled Millie into a hug with her good arm, not caring about her lack of clothing, trying to make the officer feel safer. Millie reciprocated, winding her arms underneath Rachel's armpits and putting her hands up around her back as the sergeant whispered words of support. A crashing at the back of the room announced Sally's arrival from the hole in the ceiling and she immediately ran over to help.

"Oh god Millie…. He didn't…" Sally murmured, placing a hand on her friend's bare shoulder.

"No..." she said softly, "He would have if you hadn't…"

Millie began to cry harder, fresh tears streaking down her face as Rachel pulled her into a tighter hug, still careful not to touch the bruises on her arms or ribs. Terry was busy tying up Davis' arms with the rope that had bound Millie's legs together cruelly tight.

Rachel stared down at the young women in her arms and felt a massive twinge of guilt in her stomach. Millie wouldn't be here if she and Terry hadn't been staying at her house. Millie switched her gaze to sally, who was shrugging off her riot vest and offering it to Millie, who took her arms from under Rachel's and allowed Sally to help her into it and zip it up. Sally had picked up the wrong size, so it was slightly larger and resembled a bullet proof sleeveless dressing gown. Rachel put a hand on Millie's cheek and stroked it gently, to which Millie gave a slight smile.

"Millie, I'm so sorry this is my fault..." Muttered Sally, unable to look her in the eye.

Both Millie and Rachel turned to face sally, shock evident.

"Sally-" Began Rachel, confusion clear.

"I was paired with you, I should have kept a better look out…you're my best friend…" Cried Sally, sniffing up tears.

"Sally look at me." Millie said sternly, impatiently brushing away the tears. "This is not your fault. Davis would have hurt you too if you had tried to stop him."

"Listen to her, Sally. You helped us get here, even though your superior officers didn't want you to, then you helped us find a way onto the roof and offered to jump first and you would have if I hadn't. None of this could have been prevented, I'm damn sure of that. Davis would have found a way to get to Millie, but I'm sure that that she wasn't the only person he wanted to hurt." Terry said soothingly, placing both her hands on Sally's shoulders as she pulled her into a hug.

Sally accepted gratefully, Millie breathed a shaky sigh of relief, and Rachel put a hand on her shoulder.

"He said that he was hurting me to hurt you two." Millie sobbed, shaking violently.

Terry and Sally broke apart and watched as Rachel pulled Millie into another hug, which Millie was clearly grateful for. As they comforted Millie, Jim Davis groaned.

"You... Bitches…" He gasped through pain.

Millie stood up and wobbled over to him supported by Rachel, Terry and Sally walking slightly behind her.

"Why do this to me?" Millie whimpered, hugging into Rachel for comfort.

"You were but a means to an end, Millie." He muttered, eyes closed.

"And me?" Asked Rachel, staring down at him with a look of pure disgust.

"And you what? You were a test." He replied, turning his cold gaze onto her.

Millie's hand instinctively reached Rachel shoulder, which surprised her slightly.

"A test? For what exactly, another one of your sick mind games?" Spat Terry, staring down at the man in front of her.

"Clearly you're caught up in the adrenaline of this situation, or you would have looked around more." He muttered, closing his eyes.

"No…." Whispered Rachel, beginning to shake.

"Oh yes." Hissed Davis, opening both his eyes and staring at her with a triumphant expression.

"I'm sorry, Rach. I knew where we were the second we entered." Mumbled Terry.

Suddenly a flaming torch was thrown into the room out of nowhere. The room wasn't as big as Millie had expected, and resembled a vet's practice because of all the equipment and the large metal table in the middle of the room.

"Not here…" Whispered Rachel. "Anywhere but here…"


	27. Chapter 27

Gina and Smithy were coordinating a rescue effort for which they were unsure if they had more than Millie to rescue. Rachel, Terry and Sally had disappeared over half an hour ago, and no officers had seen hide or hair of them since. Gina and Smithy had tried to give chase, but Sally had pushed a bunch of barrels stacked up at the side of the warehouse, blocking their way through to them all.

"…Well keep an eye out in there if you do see them… There's a chance he might really hurt them if he gets the chance…Yes, I'll keep you posted!" Yelled Gina down a radio above the cries and sounds of explosions around her.

"It's no use! All the doors leading to other parts of the warehouse are impossible to open, the battering rams aren't working!" Shouted Smithy, watching as streams of thugs were lead out by officers now that they riot was pretty much over.

Gina let out a roar of frustration and faced the warehouse. Somewhere inside were three of her officers and a madman. And there was no way of reaching them until they decided to come out.

…

"What is this place?" Sally asked Terry, staring around her.

"This is the place we were bought to when we were kidnapped." Replied Terry, staring down at Davis in disgust.

Rachel had her arms draped protectively around Millie's shoulders once more, shielding her from Davis' gaze. Millie was shaking violently now, partly through cold, partly through terror. Sally was standing beside Terry, who was standing right near Davis' head.

"So you remember… " he murmured, disappointment clear in his tone.

"Why did you hope we had forgotten?" Rachel spat, glaring at him.

Davis instead rested his cold glare on Millie, who buried her face into Rachel's neck, sobbing gently.

"Don't look at her!" snapped Rachel, stroking Millie's hair, turning to her and whispering "You don't have to do this…stand away from him"

Rachel led Millie away, gently sitting her down on a wooden chair in the corner of the room.

"You don't understand, you couldn't." Murmured Davis, closing his eyes once more.

"Try me." Said Terry, staring at her father in disgust.

"I killed Rachel's saviour to scar her, and I tortured you to scar you. I bought you all here by hurting Millie to make you remember." Davis replied in his usual husky tone.

"He was my fiancé! " Snarled Rachel, "And you killed him!"

Davis smiled coldly. "I see you were scarred more than my daughter was."

"Oh I think we both got scarred just the same!" Shouted Terry, lifting up her bullet proof vest and top to reveal inch thick scar.

Davis smiled again. "I see there is no chance of either of you gaining retrospective."

"What the hell does that mean?" Terry shouted, spreading her arms wide.

"Let me remind you. Rachel, I lured you into a trap, offered to give you a tip off about a human trafficker to which the young untested cop in you jumped at. I then trapped Terry in this warehouse by saying that you were there and tied her up in here. I took you here after about a day of having you tied up in a closet, and you saw Terry. I pushed you down into a basement and made you watch as I killed Taylor Morris, your fiancé because I needed you to feel alone. I initially made you watch Terry's stomach be burned so you could feel your cousin's pain. After I gave you a reminder that I still exist I observed you falling in love with a women, PC Millie Brown, who admitted her feelings about you to another officer. This was not a trap for my daughter Rachel, she was collateral damage. This was a trap for _you_."

Davis finished his monologue with a smile.

"But...Why? I don't understand. What in hell did I do to you?" Rachel shouted across the room, still comforting Millie, who had squeezed her eyes shut as he spoke.

"You are the bane of my existence. Elaine, _my _wife, would never have slept with your father if she hadn't found out about my trafficking business. She created a monster with him, that monster is you." Davis snarled, wheezing as he pushed himself up onto one elbow. "You are Elaine, but only one side of her, the cold determined, career oriented version. You are everything I despised about her."

"Y-you mean…" stammered Terry, struggling to take it in. "My cousin is my half sister?"

Davis smiled and fell back onto the floor.


	28. Chapter 28

Sally was struggling to take everything she had just heard in. Jim Davis was the very definition of the word psychopath, and Rachel and Terry were not cousins, but half sisters. Oh, and Millie had feelings for Rachel which Sally was pretty sure Rachel reciprocated by the way she was holding Millie. Not to mention they were standing in a torture chamber. Sally left Terry to stare at her father some more and quickly crossed the room to see how Rachel and Millie were.

"How are you two holding up?" Sally asked, breaking the twenty minutes of silence that followed since the revelation of who Rachel really was.

Sally gave an alarmed look at Millie, who was leaning against Rachel now, breathing shallow and her forehead sticky with sweat.

"Millie, can you hear me?" Rachel asked, placing a hand gently on her forehead.

Millie nodded feebly, her head lolling onto Rachel's forehead as she leaned over to take her pulse from her non bruised wrist. Sally took Millie's hand and held it, to which Millie gave a weak smile.

"Millie, I need you to stay awake, ok?" Sally said gently, placing a hand on the officer's shoulder.

"Millie, can you tell us where it hurts?" Rachel said quietly.

"Mm…..B-back…."Murmured Millie, eyes rolling up into her head.

"Millie, please stay with us!" Shouted Sally, prompting Terry out of her daze.

Millie was unresponsive.

Rachel tipped Millie forward so she was leaning over her good arm, Sally supporting her head. They gently lifted up the vest and cried out in horror. A small cut on her back, no bigger than a thumbnail was surrounded by angry red skin which appeared to be spreading out over her back.

"We need something to cool her down, fast." Terry said, helping them lower Millie onto her side.

"How? There's nothing." Cried Sally, staring around her.

"Look around, there might be something in those draws over there." Replied Terry, pointing at the walls with draws and cabinets stacked up against them.

Sally ran over to them, rifling through each one. In some there were knives, in other needles. In the last one, several bottles of water still sealed. Sally grabbed three and ripped a sleeve off of her shirt, folding it neatly into a rectangle and dousing it in water. She next ran over to Millie and placed it gently on her forehead.

"Give me the other bottles" Instructed Terry, ripping a sleeve off of her own shirt and also dousing that in water.

Sally and Rachel watched as she ripped off the other sleeve of her shirt, and placed the wet piece over the wound and secured it in place with the other sleeve, like a makeshift bandage.

"That should help tom keep her cool. If she wakes up we need to get her to drink something." Terry said, ignoring their surprised expressions. She then nodded at Davis. "What do we do about him? He passed out about ten minutes ago; I was trying to decide what to do."

"Leave him." Spat Rachel, "He's the reason Millie's like this in the first place."

"Rachel no. We could be slung in prison if we don't help him under some trumped up charge." Countered Sally. Then catching Rachel's expression she added, "He's hurt you and my best friend. No way am I going to prison for him."

Rachel merely nodded in response, and looked to Terry for advice.

"I don't particularly want to touch him…" Muttered Terry clearly embarrassed.

"I'll do it if you tell me what I need to do" Offered Sally as she walked over to him.

"Ok, take his pulse from his neck." Terry said, walking over to join her.

Sally bent down and placed a shaking hand on his neck, and moved it around until she was pressing none too delicately on his most prominent vein. Terry watched her expression darken, as she moved her hand around to his wrist.

"What is it?" asked Terry in a hushed voice.

"He's… Dead." Sally whispered.

Everyone stayed silent.


	29. Chapter 29

Rachel, Terry and Sally frantically worked on Millie, trying anything they could think of to bring her fever down. Millie had been moaning and lashing out in her feverish dreams for the last half an hour, and her core temperature was almost hot enough to burn someone just by touch alone.

"No…NO!" Yelled Millie, hitting Sally in the eye with one of her flailing hands.

"Millie!" Yelled Terry, "Please wake up!"

"It's no use; she's in too deep a sleep to wake!" Shouted Sally as she rubbed her eye.

"We can't just give up!" Shouted Rachel in sheer desperation.

"No one said anything about giving up; we just need to find a way to cool her down faster." Terry said reassuringly.

With that Terry grabbed their 10th and final bottle of water, and tipped it over Millie's head and chest. At first it appeared to have no effect, with Millie still flailing around like a fish out of water. After what felt like forever but in reality was only about three minutes Millie started to become less agitated, merely squeezing her eyes shut tight every few seconds instead of lashing out.

"It...worked." Noted Terry in amazement.

"You didn't know if it would?" Quizzed Rachel, stroking Millie's forehead with the sopping wet shirt sleeve.

"I wasn't sure if it would…" admitted Terry.

"Will she wake up?" Sally asked, gingerly prodding the skin around her bruised eye and wincing.

"She should now her fever seems to be breaking, but it may take a couple of hours. That's enough time for us to find an exit." Terry said, standing up.

"I'll look after Millie, you two look for an exit." Rachel ordered, staring intently at the young PCs face.

"Right." Said Sally, gratefully accepting Terry's assistance as she clambered to her feet.

Terry and Sally combed every inch of the warehouse, looking for any possible way out, but it was like looking for a needle in a haystack. The door that Millie had been taken through to get into here was camouflaged; it looked exactly like the walls. There were no windows, just a hole that the burning torch must have fell through about 7ft up the wall.

Sally paused for a minute to watch Rachel with Millie, gently stroking her cheek and muttering to her too quietly for Sally to hear, but she could guess what was being said. As Sally watched, Rachel leaned over and gently kissed Millie's forehead, tears brimming in her eyes.

"Hey how is she?" Sally asked, walking over to them both.

"She's quiet now, I think she's sleeping. " Replied Rachel without looking up.

Sally kneeled down beside them both, watching as Rachel stroked Millie's cheek in small circles.

"What?" Quizzed Rachel, catching her expression.

"You really care about her don't you?" Sally said, more of a statement than a question.

"She got hurt because of my uncle, of course I care!" Snapped Rachel.

"You two ok?" Called Terry, staring at them from on top of the metal table.

"Fine. I'm just tired I guess." Replied Rachel, going slightly red. "Sorry I snapped."

"Rachel. I've never seen you this scared for anyone before." Sally said, then after considering this added "I'd never seen you scared before we found you in that alleyway."

Rachel removed her hand from Millie's face and stared at her for a moment before answering.

"I… I didn't want anyone finding out about all of this" Muttered Rachel, still staring at Millie. "I tried to keep everyone at the nick as acquaintances; I didn't want connections to them because of this"

"But Millie…" Began Sally, "Millie was different?"

"Not until you two found me in that alleyway..." Admitted Rachel. "she reminded me of Taylor..."

"Taylor?" questioned Sally.

"He was my fiancé. Davis shot him when he tried to rescue me and Terry." Replied Rachel.

"Why didn't you report it?"

"He said he would kill Terry if I told a soul. I don't know why I believed him…" Murmured Rachel, looking down and closing her eyes slightly.

"You were scared for your cousin…" Began Sally, then she realised her mistake. "Sister… half sister. Did you know his wife?"

Sally jerked a finger behind her at the body underneath the old sheet.

"No. She was barely ever at home with him whenever I visited Terry, and Terry didn't really talk about her." Answered Rachel, shifting her gaze to Terry, who was scouring the walls for door hinges.

"Is Taylor why you don't want to be with Millie?" Asked Sally, placing a hand on Rachel's shoulder.

"I didn't want to be with Millie because… I couldn't handle losing someone else. Anyone with me would be at risk. From him."

"And now?" Quizzed Sally, staring into her eyes, trying to read her expression.

"I...I...Can't..." Rachel said awkwardly, shuffling uncomfortably.

"Why? I don't understand… if she feels the same way then what's the problem?"

"Because everyone I love dies!" Cried Rachel, tears beginning to fall from her eyes.

"Why not just tell her you love her? Let her decide what she wants!"

"Ok fine! I fell in love with Millie!" Shouted Rachel, making Terry jump. "I admitted it! You happy now?"

"I am." Murmured Millie softly as she opened her eyes. "I love you too"

Before anyone could reply an explosion shook the room, blasting the invisible door off of its hinges. In stepped Gina, Smithy, Max, Joe, Tony, Grace and Neil. All looking furious and worried.


	30. Chapter 30

"You're sure she'll make a full recovery?" questioned Rachel for the tenth time.

"Miss Weston, how many more times do I have to say this?" Exclaimed the doctor. "She will be 100% fine! Now go in and see her, she's been asking for you."

It had been two days since they had been rescued from the warehouse. Jo had taken Rachel, Terry and Sally's statements while Millie recovered in intensive care. Rachel had been badgering any and every nearby doctor since Millie was admitted, but secretly it was an excuse not to go and see her.

The _truth_, if Rachel allowed herself to admit it was that she was scared, no, terrified of what she had admitted to in the warehouse. She knew that Millie felt the same but for some reason that just heightened Rachel's misgivings. She knew that she _should _see Millie, especially after the pep talks Sally, Gina and Terry had given her, but she just couldn't face it.

Rachel sighed and took a seat on the chair in a private waiting room she had practically lived on ever since she was checked over and declared to be healing well so long as she didn't jump into any more warehouses. Rachel sighed and bought her knees up to her chest on the chair, reminding herself of the position Millie and Sally had found her in the day after the attack. The position still calmed her, but she wondered if it was the memory of having Millie so close or the actual position which was having the calming effect.

After some time Sally knocked on the door quietly and entered, along with Terry and Gina.

"Hi." Muttered Rachel, voice muffled as she still had her head down.

"Rachel, how long are you planning on sitting here and wishing the world away?" Demanded Terry, staring at her half sister with a look of mock disgust on her face.

"I'm not w-" began Rachel, jerking her head up and staring reproachfully at her.

"Yes you are. You just sit here when Millie is down the hall worrying about you." Interjected Sally, also glaring at her.

"For god's sake Sergeant Weston, go and see her!" Cried Gina, looking at her officer with a half smile on her face.

"She's worrying about me?" Quizzed Rachel, staring at Sally waiting for the response.

"Hell yes!" Cried Sally, looking at her with an exasperated expression on her face. "She thinks she did something wrong by admitting her feelings. She's blaming _herself._"

"No one can get through to her. She just sits there crying…" Added Gina, staring at Rachel intently.

"I... I had no idea…" Murmured Rachel, collapsing into the chair behind her.

Gina, Sally and Terry kept on attempting to persuade her to go and see Millie, but she was miles away. Millie blames herself for what happened. Millie blames _herself_. Rachel shook herself slightly. She had been so wrapped up in her own melodrama that she had forgotten all about how Millie could be feeling. How selfish can you get?

"OK, ok!" Shouted Rachel at last. "I'm going to see her already!"


	31. Chapter 31

Grace ran into CID with a worried expression with a worried expression on her face. Today was the day the autopsy results got back. Jims Davis' autopsy.

Grace had had all kinds of theories going through her mind since he was found dead. He had tried to rape Millie, and because of their growing closeness could Rachel have taken a drastic revenge? Or Terry, she was Rachel's half sister. Could she had lost control over this and attacked in a blinded rage?

"Is that it?" She asked Max who was holding a file in his hands.

"You want the first read?" Asked Max, offering it to her.

Grace quickly snatched the file and ignored his reproachful comment, scanning the terrible handwriting on the page. After she had finished she breathed out a low sigh of relief.

"Died of a heart attack caused by a congenital heart defect. He wasn't murdered. He put his heart under too much strain." Announced Grace to the whole of CID, who had been watching her eagerly.

"Thank god…" Muttered Jo, placing her head in her hands and shaking with relief.

As the cheerful banter swept through CID grace turned to max and became engaged in yet another conversation talking over what had happened. The noise was so great that no one could hear Smithy's shouts as she entered with a video tape in his hand.

"OI! LISTEN UP!" He yelled exasperatedly.

"Sorry Smithy. What's up?" Jo said from her desk, smile fading from her face slightly.

"We found a camera in the room Millie was attacked in. It may have recorded the whole thing." Smithy said, handing the tape to Max, who took it and stared at it as though it was covered in sewage.

"You mean this may show what he did to her..." Began Jo, looking at it with the same disgusted expression Max was wearing.

"One way to find out." Said Grace, taking the tape from max and putting it in the VCR. After a few seconds it whirred to life and they all gasped.

They all watched the scenes with the same expression on their faces.

"_You know what's going to happen." _Grunted Davis after hitting her to the ground. "_stay stil and it'll be over quicker." _

They then watched in amazement as Terry literally fell onto him from nowhere, followed by Rachel and a few seconds later Sally.

The euphoria in the room moments before had evaporated. Replaced by an awkward silence which seemed to go on forever. They all stared at one and other's expressions, the mingled shock and sympathy for their co- worker clear.

"I'm glad he's dead." Jo said at last, breaking the silence that was beginning to ring in their ears. "Or I swear he wouldn't be alive right now."

Several people nodded in agreement before the next part of the tape rung out for everyone to hear.

"_Why not just tell her you love her? Let her decide what she wants!" _rang out Sally's voice over the crackling speakers.

"_Ok fine! I fell in love with Millie! I admitted it! You happy now?" _ Came Rachel a moment later, shocking the room into another awkward silence.

"_I am. I love you too" _was Millie's wheezy reply a moment later.

This time no one said a word, just stared, open mouthed at the screen. 

…

**I might not be able to post anything tomorrow, but I'll definitely post again on Friday 30****th**


	32. Chapter 32

Millie had been laying in bed thinking about the events of the last few days since she had woken up and called out Rachel's name. Her fever had broken several hours ago and though she still felt tired and drained of energy she had been attempting to get up every time the nurse left her on her own. She normally didn't mind hospitals, but that was only when she wasn't told she would have to stay in one for the rest of the week. She hated having the door shut, it made her feel like she was back in the warehouse.

She was scared more than anything; the memories of him touching her were still keeping her awake at night. But what was worse, Rachel hadn't come in to see her. She didn't understand why: she hadn't done anything wrong. But Millie's gut instinct was telling her that it wasn't her fault, Rachel was scared. Her logical side of her brain was having issues with this, but over the last few weeks Rachel had shown sides to herself that no one knew existed. She was almost like a different person. But even knowing it wasn't her fault didn't stop her from crying. Gina, Terry and Sally had all tried to comfort her, but to no effect. She was too upset to be reasoned with. It hurt not being able to talk to Rachel.

Suddenly there was a soft knock on the open door.

"H-hi" Said Rachel quietly, clearing the croakiness out of her throat with a cough.

"Hey. Come in." Said Millie a little warily, moving herself into a sitting position.

"I'm sorry I didn't come to see you. It's just I didn't know what I was going to say." Murmured Rachel, staying where she was.

"It's ok. I understand." Replied Millie a little sadly.

After a brief moment of awkward silence Rachel decided to speak.

"Millie… I'm sorry he-"

"Rachel don't. You didn't order him to attack me. It wasn't your fault." Implored Millie, her face going slightly red with tears.

"Hey I'm sorry! I didn't mean to upset you..." Rachel sad, rushing to her side.

Millie smiled slightly as Rachel placed a hand on her cheek, stroking it gently.

"Can we just talk like the last two days didn't happen for a second?" Rachel asked softly, caressing her cheek.

"O-ok." Said Millie, half smiling.

"Millie, I... I meant what I said, I love you." Rachel said, taking her hand off of Millie's cheek and placing over her hands.

"I meant it too, I really love you, babe." Millie replied quietly, staring at Rachel's hands on her own.

"I… There's some stuff I have to tell you… about me." Rachel said awkwardly, shuffling where she stood.

"You… had a fiancé called Taylor who your uncle killed; you're scared about being in another relationship because you think that everyone you fall in love with dies, and no doubt you're scared for me because of what he tried to do." Said Millie in a monotone. "Rach, was conscious the whole time you were pouring your heart out to Sally."

Rachel blinked slightly from the shock of Millie's knowledge, and the surprise at being called "Rach" by anyone except her sister.

"You're... you... I..." Began Rachel, at a loss for what to say.

"Rach it's ok, come 'ere" Murmured Millie softly, pulling her into a hug.

Millie held her as tightly as the wounds on her body would allow, as she let her body relax against Rachel's. She felt Rachel shaking slightly as she cried, trying to cover the sobs by burying her face in Millie's shoulder. Millie just held here there, her warmth somehow comforting to her.

After a minute or so Rachel pulled back slightly, staring into Millie's eyes with her own, which had taken on a red sheen. Millie smiled a little as she wiped the tears on Rachel's face away.

"I don't know what I would have done if he had…" Rachel said, looking down at the floor.

"Rach, I'm fine, look at me." Millie said reassuringly. "He didn't, you three saved me."

"I know it's just-"

Rachel's words were cut off as Millie leant over and pressed her lips on Rachel's own. At first, Rachel was shocked and stayed rigid but she soon let the feeling of being kissed by the girl she loved take over, and was soon reciprocating. Rachel allowed herself to be pulled closer to Millie, as she gently placed a hand gently on her neck.

They broke apart after a couple of minutes, both gasping for air but smiling from ear to ear.

"That was..." Began Millie, trying to think of a way to sum up the emotions that had overcome her.

"Strange..." admitted Rachel, "But, at the same time it felt so right… you know what I mean?"

"Yeah, exactly." Said Millie.

Suddenly Rachel laughed.

"What?" Asked Millie with a quizzical look on her face.

"We've done this a bit arse about front haven't we?" Said Rachel smiling. "You're supposed to date before you live together!"

Millie laughed like she hadn't in a long time, and whether it was from pure frustration or just relief, she couldn't stop. Great bouts of laughter shook her body and Rachel's, making them both wince in pain as the bruises on their ribs twanged.

"You... Still want to live with me?" Millie said, after the bouts of laughter had subsided.

"Well if that that's ok with you, I mean I don't want to impose or any-" Began Rachel, but she was silenced by Millie's finger on her lips.

"I want to live with you... I was fearing the day you left…" Murmured Millie softly in her ear.

Rachel let her head rest on the crook of Millie's neck, and kissed her gently. Millie felt a tingling sensation coarse through her body at this, to which she responded by placing a hand on the back or Rachel's neck and another hand on her back, rubbing gently in small circles.

As Rachel held Millie, she noticed something strange. Millie's shoulder were tense, and every time she attempted to relax them they went tense again moments later. Rachel broke their hug apart and stared into her eyes.

"Hey... Millie, talk to me." Rachel said softly.

"I don't want to burden you…" Muttered Millie after a sharp intake of breath to stop herself from crying

"You're not... Please let me help you…" Muttered Rachel softly, resting her forehead on Millie's.

"I... I can't sleep, every single time I close my eyes I see his face, it's driving me mad" Millie muttered, not meeting Rachel's gaze.

Rachel took her chin and lifted it up gently with one finger.

"When was the last time you slept a full night?" Rachel asked softly, now caressing her chin with her thumb.

"I… before he attacked you..." admitted Millie, tears leaking from the corners of her eyes.

"Hey... Budge up." Rachel said, wiping the tears away.

"What?" Quizzed Millie, clearly confused.

"Move over a little." Rachel said, taking her arms and helping her shuffle along.

When she had moved over enough Rachel took off the hospital plimsolls she had been wearing and scrambled into the covers beside her.

"Come here." Rachel said, opening her arms and offering the space she had created on her lap to Millie.

Millie complied, shuffling over and resting her head on Rachel's lap. Rachel placed a hand gently on her forehead and stroked her hair, again making sure Millie wasn't in any discomfort. She then leant over her and placed a very gentle kiss on her ear, before whispering to her softly.

"Millie, you don't have to be afraid, he gone, dead, and whatever memories he's left behind we'll dead with together. I know we'll get through this because I have faith us."

_**END**_

…

**Thanks for reading to the end of this story, and if you're wondering why I left a few loose ends I plan on making a sequel to this when I get the chance to because I want to explore Rachel and Millie's relationship in more detail. **

**I probably won't post as frequently next time as I'm going to try and add as much detail as I can to each chapter and I may edit a few chapters of retrospective when I get the chance to. **

**I hope you enjoyed it!**

**You can always review and tell me if it was terrible or not **


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